The Gravity of the Challenge: Refuges in Australia

The year 2015 was deemed as affected and most disturbing period for the refugees in Australia and also at the international level. There are number of people who are forcibly displaced because of the prosecution, conflict, violence, and human rights violations, as all these things are at highest level in comparison of World War II. This big challenge of the movement at global level has come to be symbolized by the affected images of the Syrian children’s lie dead and lining up of Germans in terms of helping the refugees at the train stations.

In Australia these images are accompanied with some alarming stories in which harm is suffered by the refugees. This year 2015 was further marked as the application of affected changes in Australia’s asylum policy which affects almost 30000 people in the community of Australia. This mainly includes the important changes in the determination of the refugee status, introduction of the temporary protection visas and also the removal of the government-funded legal assistance. However, some new issues are also emerged which mainly includes the protracted delays in giving the citizenships and also the denial of access to the higher education for those who holds Temporary Protection Visas. Other old issues are also there, which includes destroying the chances for many refugees for being reunited with their loved ones, access related to the education and employment, and also the absence of the suitable options of housing (DSS, no date).

Settling in new regions and countries poses number of challenges for the refugees and migrant families in Australia. As migrants and refugees to Australia face some or all these issues, but country also introduced some features which helped them in making the transition smoother. The main aim of this paper is to critically analyse all the post-settlement and integration challenges faced by the refugees and their families in Australia. Structure of this paper includes the discussion in terms of challenges faced by the refugees and their families. This paper further discusses the help and relief offered by Australian government in terms of resolving these challenges faced by refuges and their families. At the end brief conclusion is stated to conclude the essay.

First Federal Department of immigration in Australia was established during the year 1945, and from that time period almost 6.5 million migrants including the 700,000 refugees and the people in need of humanitarian came to Australia for seeking shelter. There are number of source countries which have shifted such as United Kingdom to Northern Europe, to Southern Europe, to the Middle East and Asia.  Presently almost 24% of the Australian population is overseas born, or 43% is either born overseas or one of their parents born overseas ((ACOSS 2013).

Employment Challenges for Refugees and Their Families

Employment- When refugees and their families arrive in Australia; they are seeking new horizons in their lives and want to start new life with their families. There are number challenges which are faced by them, and in this context the biggest challenge they face is the seeking employment for them and adopting the changes of new society. Thousands of refugees and their families arrive in Australia with the hope of starting new and safe life, and tin this context they have to meet different requirements.

All these refugees belong from different racial, social, and economic backgrounds and because of this they have diverse needs to fulfil in Australia. Accessing the employment and business opportunities in Australia for refugees is the serious challenge from which they have to deal.

There are number of migrants, especially the refugees, will face high level difficulties till the time any of them find the job. Refugees and all those people who arrive in Australia through the Family reunion program at the matured age are the people who are most disadvantaged, because it is necessary for them to learn skills and English in context of getting access to the labour market. While learning these skills of getting the job, they reach the age of 50 and this make it more difficult for them to find the job. Some reasons because of which migrants fail to seek the job and adopt the changes of society are defined below-

• Language is the biggest barrier and it significantly affects the written and oral skills of the refugees. This issue becomes bigger when refugees come from the places in which their native languages shares nothing in common with the English language like Asian, African or Eastern European languages. A strong accent is deemed as another issue which prevents the employers to give job to the migrants.
• Cultural barriers is the another issue which prevents the refugees to find the job, and in case of matured age refugee these barriers can cause serious threat to the possibility of finding the work. This happens because of the different religious beliefs, difference in the thinking and behaviour, and also because of the different attitudes in their lives. Job selection procedures in Australia and start the new business are completely new approach for these migrants, and there are numbers who find difficulty in understanding these new procedures and cultures of Australia (Rodriguez-Jimenez & Gifford, 2010).
• As some refugees in Australia also come from the areas which are badly affected by wars, as all these refugees required the special assistance of specialized health organizations and professionals. In this few of these are highly skilled professionals and technicians, but because of the trauma they suffered in their past lives it becomes difficult for them to settle in the different society.
• Another issue faced by the refugees is the overseas skills and qualification recognition, as procedures in this context takes years for conducting the proper assessment and recognition. This is another serious issue for the refugees, as it becomes barrier for the refugees which end their dream to find suitable job in Australia. These refugees need to prove themselves again on the Australian standards and generally these standards do not qualify all those who are not able to speak English (McMichael, Gifford & Correa-Velez, 2011).
• Racism is the biggest social issue faced by the refugees and their families in Australia, because it impose barrier for the refugees to find the job or start new business. There are number of cases of racism in which refugees and their families are deprived from the education facilities and education opportunities. Discrimination mainly includes the assessment of employment on the basis of ethnicity, cultural customs, and the requirements of speaking English language (Camacho, 1999).

Some other issues are also there which are faced by the refugees and their families in Australia after their settlement in Australia-

Housing- Residential place is deemed as big and basic need of each and every person and similar thing happen in the case of refugees and their families. Homelessness is the biggest issue faced by these refugees because it directly affects their health, education, and economic participation. In other words, availability of the affordable, sustainable, and appropriate housing underpins the good health and also enhances their social and economic participation in the nation.

In the recent community sector survey stated that availability of housing and affordability services were put in the list of highest priorities in the need of attention by the refugees. Housing and homelessness community clearly stated that they are not able to meet the requirements of the groups of their own client (66%), and the almost 77% clients seeking help in terms of housing on the basis of income supports payments (ACOSS, 2013).

Housing as a Basic Need of Refugees and Their Families

Annual national community consultations are conducted by the refugee council of Australia (RCOA in context of the issues associated with the Australia’s Refugee and Humanitarian Program. As per the report, finding affordable and appropriate housing is the biggest issue faced by the refugees and their families in Australia, and for this purpose they nominate almost 3 key concerns of the refugees communities in Australia-

• Challenge faced by the newly arrived refugees for finding the house, with the no rental history in Australia and barriers related to the language is deemed as important obstacles in context of competing for the limited number of options related to the rental properties which are affordable in price.
• Those refugees who are earning low incomes bear the burden of high cost of housing in Australia.
• There is lack of support and advice to the newly arrived refugees in context of understanding the rental procedures of Australia or their rights and expectation from the landlords while holding the positions of tenants.
• Issue related to the lack of space is faced by the large families (RCOA, 2013).

Above stated reasons, force the refugees to take the rental homes at unfair prices and their situations compelled them to agree with the unfair and illegal leases. For resolving this issue, Australian government take number of measures and also initiate some programs in terms of helping the refugees in Australia. Government of Australia expands The Community Assistance and Support Scheme (CAS, and this includes the people seeking the help in terms of homelessness. This program is flexible in nature and can be changed in terms of meeting the specific requirements of the refugees. In the medium term of this program, government focuses on giving the safe, secure, and affordable housing to the refugees. All this housing complied with the Australian protection framework and also with the present legislative frameworks. In long term, government focus on including the safe and secure housing in the agenda of its strategic homelessness, and also introducing the legislation in this context (RCOA, 2018).

Report published by Australia’s hidden homeless recommended to the Victorian government to start 12-month pilot program, and this program can be extended nationally after the effective evaluation of this program in Victoria. Some important features of this model are stated below in terms of ensuring the safe and secure housing for the refugees and their families in Australia-

• Fund is given to the state department from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship in terms of contracting with the specialist, registered housing providers.
• Subcontracts are created between the housing providers with the community agencies such as CAS or ASAS is context of providing the other components of support (RCOA, 2016).
• Housing quality for the refugees is monitored under the existing tenancy legislations and management of tenancy will be completed by the housing providers.
• Further, properties in this context will be sourced from the current properties over which agencies for people seeking the asylum have the rights of nomination. In terms of the return related to the rental, many houses are there which are owned by the church groups and some private peoples are also available.
• Rent in this context must be set at the 80% of market value and subsidies depend on the needs of the person seeking houses to live (RCOA, 2018).

This model is deemed as appropriate model for resolving the challenge faced by refugees, as in this eligibility of the refugee is accessed by the department and after that case of that person will referred to the CAS or ASAS.

Educational Facilities- another issue faced by refugees and their children’s is the lack of access to the educational facilities, which means, refugees face number of barriers for engaging in the education in Australia. These issues mainly includes the lack of contextual and background knowledge, issues related to the cross cultural challenges, literacy, and also the lack of trust (O’Rourke, 2011). These barriers are deemed as the additional barriers in terms of the normal challenges faced by the students. As there are creative responses given by government related to these issues such as support of government in fulfilling this basic need of education, partnership with different agencies, courses related to the pre-admission, language support and advocacy. Instead of the good work being done in this area, there are some other barriers also which are imposed intentionally so that refugees does not get the access to the education such as discrimination, racism, lack of funds, obstacle imposed by government on higher studies, behaviour of other students, etc (RCOA, 2016)..

Barriers to Educational Facilities for Refugees and Their Children

However, a refugee who holds the permanent visas (those to whom visa is granted before changes made in the law, and those also who are resettled through the Australia’s refugee and humanitarian program) get easy access to the education. This is not the case with the refugees on TPVs and SHEVs, because they are not able to seek funds from the government for their higher education such as from the Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP) funded by the Higher Education Contributions Scheme (HECS). They are also not able to access the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) or FEE-HELP, as this is the loan scheme for students introduced by the Federal Government of Australia. Members of the TPVs or SHEVs are generally accompanied with the other international students and also by the temporary migrants, and they are also responsible to pay the full course fees and access to the commercial loans for funding their tuitions.

Another barrier faced by the students of refugee people is the program related to the English language. As almost 510 hours of free tuition is offered by the AMEP, but this is not enough for number of refugee children’s such as for the South Sudanese adults who all came to this country with very limited English knowledge and make efforts to learn the Basic English language. It must be noted that almost 69% of the refugees arrive in Australia with very poor background of English, and they require more than 500 hours for learning the Basic English. However, very few evidences are present which shows that exit level of the functional English is sufficient for the successful integration into the mainstream society (Hatoss & Huijser, 2010). This claim of the author is supported by the 2008 AMEP review in which it is stated that Australian English programs are not adequate to teach the refugees Basic English and transition to the mainstream education.

The second barrier in this context is the restriction related to the English barrier program, and according the AMEP, those refugees who are newly arrived in Australia needs to be registered with the AMEP within the period of six months and they must complete the tuition of 500 hours within the period of 12 months (Department of Immigration and Citizenship, 2008).Those refugees which have large families find this difficulty because it is very difficult for them to competing with this course, and they are number of refuges which are drop out this course without even completing this course. There is requirement to make this program more flexible in nature, as there are number of countries like in Canada, New Zealand and Norway make their Basic English program flexible in nature. There is not limitation of time like Australia to access the Basic English program in New Zealand and Canada (Mathews, 2008). In Norway these classes are customized on the basis of the need of each refugee and all the refugees get the offer of accessing 300 English class hours for free for the two years (RC, 2016).

Relief Offered by Australian Government Programs for Housing and Homelessness

Healthcare Facilities- The experience of the refugees and their families before their arrival in Australia was not good, and in some situations they face trauma and terrific situations which directly affects their physical and mental health. Generally, these people are fled persecution and there are numbers which have been subject to torture, suffering traumas because of the war and conflicts arise in their countries. All these things badly affect their health and result in the more vulnerable diseases. There are number of displaced years and also the insecure conditions, as they keep moving between the places or from one refugee camp to another refugee camp in context of accessing the health care. All these things enhance their physical and mental stress, and lastly when they reach to Australia the process of settling themselves and accessing health facilities is extremely stressful in nature. Some basic reasons because of which there is lack of access of health facilities for refugees are stated below (RCOA, 2016-

• People generally have very less knowledge about the health care services available for them in Australia, which clearly reflects that they are not able to use it properly. There are number of things which influence their use such as age, gender, financial hardship, education, cultural beliefs, and practices. It is also based on the fact how they use these services, and also on the competence and suitability of these services.
• A common experience of the refugees is that they do not use the interpreters on often basis, and because of this it is very difficult for refugees to understand the services and access those services.
• There are number of refugees who are coming without their family and friends, and feel very isolated in this new community. All these things make their mental health issues more badly. Another challenge faced by them is the separation from their families for long period of time which also cause distress for them (Amnesty, no date).

Conclusion

After considering the above facts, it is clear that refugees in Australia face number of challenges after their arrival in the nation and all these challenges directly affects their life. The biggest challenge they face is the seeking employment for them and adopting the changes of new society. Thousands of refugees and their families arrive in Australia with the hope of starting new and safe life, and tin this context they have to meet different requirements. All these refugees belong from different racial, social, and economic backgrounds and because of this they have diverse needs to fulfil in Australia. Accessing the employment and business opportunities in Australia for refugees is the serious challenge from which they have to deal.

Residential place is deemed as big and basic need of each and every person and similar thing happen in the case of refugees and their families. Homelessness is another big issue faced by these refugees because it directly affects their health, education, and economic participation. Challenge faced by the newly arrived refugees for finding the house, with the no rental history in Australia and barriers related to the language is deemed as important obstacles in context of competing for the limited number of options related to the rental properties which are affordable in price.

Another issue faced by refugees and their children’s is the lack of access to the educational facilities, which means, refugees face number of barriers for engaging in the education in Australia. These issues mainly includes the lack of contextual and background knowledge, issues related to the cross cultural challenges, literacy, and also the lack of trust.

There are number of colonial years and also the insecure conditions, as refugees are keep moving between the places or from one refugee camp to another refugee camp in context of accessing the health care. All these things enhance their physical and mental stress, and lastly when they reach to Australia the process of settling themselves and accessing health facilities is extremely stressful in nature. People generally have very less knowledge about the health care services available for them in Australia, which clearly reflects that they are not able to use it properly. There are number of things which influence their use such as age, gender, financial hardship, education, cultural beliefs, and practices. It is also based on the fact how they use these services, and also on the competence and suitability of these services.

References

ACOSS, (2013). Australian Community Sector Survey 2013. Retrieved from https://www.acoss.org.au/images/uploads/Australian_Community_Sector_Survey_2013_ACOSS.pdf.

Amnesty, (no date). Australia: healthcare rollbacks put refugee lives and health at risk. Retrieved from https://www.amnesty.org.au/australia-healthcare-rollbacks-put-refugee-lives-and-health-at-risk/.

Camacho, D. (1999). The Social, Economic and Industrial Issues Specific To Migrant Workers, House Of Representatives Standing Committee On Employment, Education And Work Place Relations, Canberra.

Department of Immigration and Citizenship, (2008). Review of the Adult Migrant English  Program. Retrieved from https://www.ames.net.au/files/file/Policy/11_amep_discussion_paper.pdf.  

DSS. Challenges faced by new arrivals. Retrieved from https://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/settlement-services/programs-policy/settlement-services/government-programs/volunteers/why-volunteer/challenges-faced-by-new-arrivals.

Galbally, F. (1978. Migrant Services and Programs: Report of the Review of Post-arrival Programs and Services for Migrants, Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.

Hatoss, A., & Huijser, H. (2010). Gendered barriers to educational opportunities: resettlement of Sudanese refugees in Australia. Gender and Education, volume 22(2), 147-160.

Matthews, J. (2008). Schooling and settlement: Refugee education in Australia. International Studies in Sociology of Education, volume 18(1), 31-45.

McMichael, C.  Gifford, S.M. & Correa-Velez, I. (2011. Negotiating Family, Navigating Resettlement: Family Connectedness Amongst Resettled Youth with Refugee Backgrounds, Journal of Youth Studies, volume 14(2), 179–195.

O’Rourke, D., (2011. Closing Pathways: Refugee Background Students and Tertiary Education’. Kotuitui: New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences, Volume 6 (1).

RC, (2016). Educational barriers facing South Sudanese Refugees in Australia Refugees Community Advocacy Network Victoria Conference Presenter name: Gabriel Yak, South Sudanese Community. Retrieved from https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Gabriel-Yak-RCAN.pdf.

RCOA, (2013. Housing Issues For Refugees And Asylum Seekers In Australia. Retrieved from https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/r/rpt/1309_HousingLitRev.pdf.

RCOA, (2016). Australia’s Response To A World In Crisis. Retrieved from https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/2016-17-Intake-submission-FINAL.pdf.

RCOA, (2016. Health. Retrieved from https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/getfacts/settlement/livinghere/health/.

RCOA, (2016. Housing. Retrieved from https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/getfacts/settlement/livinghere/housing/.

RCOA, (2018. Australia’s hidden homeless. Retrieved from https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/resources/publications-external/australias-hidden-homeless/.

Rodriguez-Jimenez, A. & Gifford, S. (2010. Finding Voice’: Learnings and Insights from a Participatory MediaProject with Recently Arrived Afghan Young Men with Refugee Backgrounds, Youth Studies Australia, volume 29(2), 33–41.

Spinks, H. (2009. Australia’s settlement services for migrants and refugees. Retrieved from https://www.aph.gov.au/binaries/library/pubs/rp/2008-09/09rp29.pdf.