Refugee & Migrant Housing Support
Information about housing eligibility for refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants, plus settlement services that can help.
Visa Eligibility for Social Housing
Fully Eligible
| Subclass | Visa Name |
|---|---|
| 200 | Refugee |
| 201 | In-country Special Humanitarian |
| 202 | Global Special Humanitarian |
| 203 | Emergency Rescue |
| 204 | Woman at Risk |
| 851 | Resolution of Status |
| 866 | Protection Visa (onshore) |
Limited Eligibility
| Subclass | Notes |
|---|---|
| 785 (TPV) | Some Centrelink access; significant housing barriers |
| 790 (SHEV) | Some Centrelink access; significant housing barriers |
| 820, 309 | Partner provisional - may be included in eligible person's household |
Not Eligible
- • Bridging Visa E holders
- • Student visas (subclass 500)
- • Working holiday visas (417, 462)
- • Visitor visas
- • Most other temporary visas
Trauma Support - STARTTS
If you've experienced torture or trauma, STARTTS provides free counselling and can provide a Medical Assessment for priority housing applications.
✓ STARTTS Medical Assessments are automatically accepted as evidence for priority housing - no additional documentation required.
STARTTS Referral Line
(02) 9646 6800Settlement Services
These services can help with housing applications and provide casework support:
SSI (Settlement Services International)
Humanitarian Settlement Program - support from airport arrival including housing, health, and documentation.
ssi.org.au →Migrant Resource Centres
Local MRCs provide casework support including housing assistance for the first 5 years in Australia.
Australian Red Cross
Humanitarian Settlement Program with bilingual caseworkers in regional areas.
Key Contacts
Legal Help
Legal Aid Helpline
1300 651 188RACS (Refugee Advice)
racs.org.au →Homeless Now?
Call Link2Home
1800 152 152Temporary visa holders may not be eligible for government temporary accommodation.