Celebrating one million refugees who have enriched Australia
On 28 November 2025, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) announced that Australia had just granted its one millionth refugee visa since the end of the Second World War.
“Today is an opportunity to reflect on and to acknowledge the positive impact refugees and humanitarian entrants have made in Australian sport, business, philanthropy, public life and more.” (DHA Facebook post, 28 Nov 2025)
Australia’s world class settlement services and not-for-profit organisations including our churches have played a key role in helping refugee and humanitarian entrants settle in Australia and continue to do so.
NCCA General Secretary Liz Stone says that Australia’s churches have been involved with refugee settlement and support from the beginning and are currently assisting families from Gaza, Ukraine and other nations of the Middle East.
Through the Community Refugee Sponsorship Program over the past five years, church congregations have stepped up to welcome refugees from around the world into their communities and provide support for their first year of settlement alongside the Australian Government program.
Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) CEO Paul Power says the one million people who have settled in Australia through the refugee and humanitarian program have helped to transform the nation.
“Since 1947, people who were refugees have come to Australia from nearly every corner of the world, have settled across our country and contributed to nearly every aspect of our nation’s life. Today, millions of Australians have a direct link to the refugee program, directly themselves or through their parents, grandparents or great grandparents.
“Reaching one million humanitarian visas is a moment to celebrate, but also to look ahead. We have the chance to keep that legacy alive, to keep offering hope and belonging to people who need it most and seeing our nation benefit from their long-term contribution.”
Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) has recently launched Australia’s Untold Stories, an oral history series showing the personal stories of refugees who have arrived in Australia since 1947.
In the video series we hear directly from people who have come to Australia as refugees over the past few decades, from all over the world. They shed light on what led them to flee their homes, the journey that followed, and how they’ve built new lives here.
Their stories shine a light on the hardships they’ve faced, and the communities they’ve built.
Carlos is one of the people featured in the series. He lived in Chile until 1974. When the army seized power in September 1973, his life changed overnight. A union delegate at a factory, he was detained and held for months before finally finding safety in Australia later that year.
He believes every country has a role to play in caring for people forced to leave their homes.
“Every country needs to take people from overseas because they are suffering. They suffer hunger, young children having nothing to eat, not a place to live. The whole world should help people who are forced to move from their own ground. There is a need for that every day, more and more. Like it or not, the whole world is one unit, and we are part of the unit.”
“The one-millionth grant is more than a number. It represents a million stories of families rebuilding their lives in a country where they can belong and contribute to a vibrant shared future.” (DHA Facebook post, 28 Nov 2025)