Eligibility for HSS Services

Eligibility for HSS services is based on visa category. Services are provided for a minimum of four months and a maximum of twelve months from the date of arrival in Australia. Shortly after visa grant, DIAC refers an eligible client to an HSS service provider. Eligible visa subclasses include:

• Refugee – visa subclass 200, 201, 203 and 204;
• Special Humanitarian Program entrants – visa subclass 202;
• Protection visa holders – visa subclass 866 (if granted on or after 21 January 2009. Eligibility criteria apply)

As a general rule the method of service delivery varies according to visa subclass category. Entrants arriving on a Refugee visa are assumed to require intensive case management. Similarly entrants granted a Protection visa are eligible for intensive case management and casework assistance, based on their needs.

Entrants arriving on a Special Humanitarian Program visa have a Proposer in Australia who has undertaken to fulfill certain obligations. Proposers will be provided with information and guidance about how best to assist their entrants, and entrants may be provided with direct assistance where a Proposer is unable to do this. The Navitas English Proposer Checklist provides some basic information about what a Proposer needs to do to assist an entrant family and when those tasks need to be undertaken.

In all circumstances the needs of the entrants are assessed, and service delivery is determined based on these needs. An entrant or entrant family will receive HSS assistance only once. If, for example, an entrant family has received a Basic Household Goods package in one region, then they choose to transfer or move to another region of Australia, they will not be provided with this assistance again.

Summary of HSS Services:

The HSS provides intensive settlement support to newly arrived humanitarian entrants. The aim of the HSS is to assist humanitarian entrants achieve self-sufficiency in the settlement process through the assessment and delivery of services on a needs basis. Services provided under the HSS are:

• Case Management
• On Arrival Reception and Assistance
• Accomodation Servies
• Orientation Program
• Local Area Coordination of Services for Refugees