Submission on Australia’s 2026-27 Humanitarian Program

CPD’s submission makes four key recommendations to improve Australia’s Humanitarian Program so that it better meets the needs of refugees and delivers more benefits for communities and the economy.

These recommendations are:

• Gradually increase the intake to 27,000 places. While the government has confirmed the 20,000-place limit for 2026-27, CPD recommends a steady increase starting the following year. Reaching a target of 27,000 would fulfil Australia’s international promises made at the 2023 Global Refugee Forum and signal to our neighbours that we are committed to sharing the responsibility of regional migration.
• Create 10,000 additional sponsored places for refugees. Currently, refugees who arrive through community or employer-sponsored programs (known as “complementary pathways”) are counted as part of the 20,000-place cap. CPD recommends making these places additional to the main program. Growing these pathways to 10,000 places per year would mean businesses, communities and universities can sponsor more refugees at a minimal cost to the government.
• Support refugees in transit with better health and rights. The journey to safety is often long and traumatic, leaving many people stuck in limbo in “transit” countries with few rights. CPD recommends Australia work with regional partners to improve these conditions, including funding mental health services and advocating for access to education and training.
• Lead the way on resettlement within our region. CPD recommends that Australia take a leadership role by proactively resettling Rohingya and other refugees from Myanmar. Australia should also lift the ban on resettling refugees currently in Indonesia, most of whom are from Myanmar and Afghanistan and have very few options for resettlement.