Key messages

• Employment rates increased over time, particularly in the first 5 years of settlement, indicating that investment in employment programs and supports may yield greater returns for new arrivals. However, barriers remained for those with low education and English skills and those with limited pre-arrival work experience.
  • The proportion of participants aged 15–64 who were employed increased almost seven-fold over the 10 years of the study to 46% by year 10 (2023), with the largest increases occurring between year 1 (7%) and year 5 (36%).
  • Of the remaining participants in year 10, 7% were unemployed and 46% were not in the labour force.
  • Women were significantly less likely than men to be in the labour force, as were respondents aged 55–64 (compared to younger groups), those in poor health and those who had limited pre-arrival work experience or education.
• Fluency in English is a critical foundation for humanitarian settlement in Australia. Many new arrivals require early and sustained investment in English learning.
  • At year 10, over half (54%) of participants reported that they were proficient in spoken English (i.e. spoke well or very well) – a 20 percentage point increase from year 1.
  • Compared to those with low proficiency, participants who were proficient in spoken English had better outcomes across all other settlement domains.
• Over the 10 years of the study, more than one-third (35%) of participants completed some form of education or job training in Australia.
• Most humanitarian migrants reported feeling connected to Australian society but wider social and economic pressures may be eroding this sense of connection.
  • Nearly half (49%) of all BNLA participants had friends from a mix of cultural backgrounds in year 10, and over three-quarters (76%) reported that they felt part of the Australian community ‘most of the time’ or ‘always’.
  • However, indicators of social connection – such as having trust in the local neighbourhood – declined or did not improve between years 5 and 10.
• Financial hardship and insecure or unaffordable housing affect refugees’ self-agency.
  • In each year of the study, around 30%–40% of participants reported experiencing financial hardship.
  • The overall proportion of participants experiencing financial hardship decreased from year 1 to year 5 but did not change between year 5 and year 10.
  • The groups most likely to rely on government payments as their main source of income included women, people aged 55 years or over, people with low levels of pre-arrival education, work experience or language skills, and people who lived in highly disadvantaged local areas.
  • In year 10, over one-third (37%) of respondents owned their home outright or were paying off a mortgage, with 42% on a rental contract of more than 6 months in duration. Among participants who were renting, 43% reported experiencing financial hardship in the past year, compared to 26% of mortgagees or homeowners.
• Humanitarian migrants present with unique physical and mental health needs.
  • In year 10, 59% of participants considered themselves to be in good, very good or excellent health. The remaining 41% reported their health as between fair and very poor.
  • At any time in the study, employed participants were 20% more likely to be in good–excellent health compared to those who were not employed or not in the labour force. The likelihood of being in good–excellent health was 19% higher among those who were proficient in spoken English compared to those who were not.
  • In year 10, more than 1 in 4 (27%) respondents reported having a disability, injury or long-term health condition/s. This is higher than the prevalence in the overall Australian population, which has been estimated at approximately 21% (Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS], 2024c).
  • Around 3 in 10 (29%) respondents met the criteria for PTSD in the year 10 survey. Factors such as being unemployed/not in labour force, being in older age groups (especially 55–64 years), being unmarried/without a partner and not being proficient in spoken English prior to arrival were positively associated with PTSD.
• Despite health challenges, most BNLA participants reported high levels of life satisfaction in Australia. In year 10, the average life satisfaction score was 7.5 out of 10.
• This report demonstrates that humanitarian migrants are not an homogenous group. Like other migrant populations, humanitarian entrants require services and supports that are tailored to their unique backgrounds, rather than their visa class or mode of arrival.
• The settlement outcomes for humanitarian migrants discussed in this report must be situated within the wider Australian context that includes cost of living and housing affordability pressures, with possible impacts on social cohesion. The socio-economic position of refugees during settlement – and the government support they require – may have parallels with other Australians facing disadvantage.