The Settle in Australia website provides information for all new arrivals, including skilled migrants, family migrants, refugees and former humanitarian entrants.

The Beginning a Life in Australia booklet welcomes newly arrived migrants and humanitarian entrants to Australia. It provides useful national, State/territory and local settlement information for migrants, humanitarian entrants, their sponsors and service providers. It is available to download in English and 37 community languages.

For information on support available for asylum seekers please contact the Specialist Policy Advisor at multicultural@communities.tas.gov.au

Welcome

The Safe Haven Enterprise Visa (SHEV) scheme became operational in Tasmania on 10 October 2015. All of Tasmania qualifies as a regional area.

The Tasmanian Government encourages people who have been granted the SHEV visa, or who are waiting a determination, to consider relocating to Tasmania to work or study.

Tasmania is a dynamic and diverse society with a rich cultural, religious and linguistic heritage of which Tasmanians are proud. Resettling refugees is a proud and important part of Tasmania’s humanitarian history.

However it may difficult for new arrivals to know who to contact and how to go about finding accommodation, education, local services and employment, and participating in the community.

The Tasmanian Government is investing up to $1.2 million over four years to establish a Safe Haven Hub in Tasmania. Once established, the Hub will provide a first point of contact for people coming to Tasmania to work or study under the SHEV scheme.

A particular focus of the Hub will be to work with industry councils, employers, jobactive and training providers to fill labour shortages, particularly in growth areas of the Tasmanian economy.

Who to contact – interim arrangements

If you have been granted a SHEV visa or are waiting for a visa determination and are interested in moving to Tasmania, CatholicCare Tasmania and the Australian Red Cross have been contracted by the Tasmanian Government to provide assistance to help you find accommodation, work or study.

These services can assist you throughout your move, before and after your arrival.

You can also contact the Communities, Sport and Recreation, Department by emailing multicultural@communities.tas.gov.au or phoning 1300 135 513.

Living in Tasmania

The Tasmanian Government considers the diversity of its people as a key asset for the state. The resilience and resourcefulness of refugees has made a major contribution to Tasmania’s economy.

Tasmania is a liveable place where balancing work, family life and recreation is far easier than in major population centres.

Housing is affordable, good schooling is available and there are a range of supports in place for bringing up children which offer a wide range of family centred support and activities.

The State offers easy and safe access to public open spaces including walkways, cycleways, trails, beaches, rivers and other recreational environments, and sporting clubs.

There are a number of growth industries in Tasmania looking for skilled workers, including agriculture, aquaculture, tourism, hospitality and the disability care sectors.

Safe Haven Enterprise Visa Information

SHEV holders are required to work in regional Australia without accessing income support (Special Benefit payment) or study full-time in regional Australia, or undertake a combination of work and study, for at least three and a half years (or 42 months) of their visa, to be eligible to apply for other substantive visas, including permanent visas (but not Permanent Protection visas), provided they meet the application criteria for those visas.

More information about the SHEV can be obtained from the Department of Immigration and Home Affairs

Provides early practical support to humanitarian clients to help them settle in the community, from arrival for six to twelve months. Provides information about contracted service providers assisting the settlement of humanitarian entrants.

• Catholiccare Tasmania
• Phone 7278 1660
• Migrant Resource Centre Northern Tasmania (North and North West)
  Phone: 6332 2211

Provides interpreting services 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week. Information about how to access interpreting services for Non-English speakers and English speaking agencies and businesses.

• TIS National

The Adult Migrant English Program provides free English language courses to eligible migrants and humanitarian entrants. Participants can also make new friends and learn about Australia, its people and customs.

• TasTAFE (Statewide)
  Phone: 1300 655 307
• Hobart Campus
  Phone: 6216 4482
• Launceston City Campus
  Phone: 6336 2598
• Burnie Campus
  Phone: 1300 655 307
• Devonport Campus
  Phone: 6336 2598
• Smithton Campus
  Phone: 6336 2598

This service, provided by TAFE Tasmania, aims to develop English language skills and improve understanding of Australian culture, Statewide Migrant Education teams help people to develop English language skills and cultural knowledge of life, work and further study. They assist in building pathways to further work and training.

Migrant Education offers a broad range of opportunities including preliminary and unregistered short courses, as well as courses ranging from Certificate I through to Certificate III.

• Migrant Education Statewide
  Phone: 1300 655 307

Specialised and Intensive Services (SIS) is a component of the Humanitarian Settlement Program (HSP) available to humanitarian entrants and other eligible visa holders who have complex needs.

SIS offer clients short term needs-based support to help them access appropriate mainstream services and develop the necessary skills to manage their needs independently.

SIS is a part of the Humanitarian Settlement Program , which in Tasmania is contracted to the Migrant Resource Centre Tasmania.

The Department of Home Affairs has information about how to refer a person to SIS.

Refugee and Migrant Liaison Officers provide confidential services to culturally and linguistically diverse patients accessing care. This also includes facilitating cross-cultural awareness training for staff.

• Hobart
  Refugee and Migrant Health Liaison Officer
  Phone: 6222 8126
  Email: jenny.forward@dhhs.tas.gov.au
•  
• North
  Social Worker Refugee and Migrant Liaison Officer
  Phone: 6348 7245
  Email: susan.neighbour@dhhs.tas.gov.au
•  
• North West
  Multicultural Liaison Officer
  Phone: 6430 6586 (Wednesday and Thursday)
  Phone: 6426 5675 (Monday and Tuesday)
  Email: dianne.curran@dhhs.tas.gov.au
•  

Provides funds to organisations to deliver targeted services to those in greatest need of settlement assistance, for up to five years from arrival.

• Migrant Resource Centre Northern Tasmania Inc (North)
  Phone: 6332 2211
• Migrant Resource Centre (Southern Tasmania) Inc (South)
  Phone: 6221 0999
• Catholiccare Tasmania
  Phone: 6278 1660

The Community Information Summaries provide a broad range of statistical data from the 2016 Australian Census of Population and Housing, for people born in more than 100 birthplaces.

• Community Information Summaries

The Migrant Resource Centre’s (Southern Tasmania) Inc runs a Settlement Drop-In Service:

When: Monday 10am-2.30pm

Where:  Migrant Resource Centre, 1A Anfield St, Glenorchy 7010.

This service is available for anyone from a Humanitarian background within their first five years of living in Australia.

The Migrant Resource Centre’s (Southern Tasmania) Inc has an  Information and Referral Service for New Migrants available to migrants from all visa streams and can provide information and referrals for settlement issues by phone or email:

Southern Tasmania:  (03) 6221 0999 or reception@mrchobart.org.au

Northern Tasmania: (03) 6332 2211 or admin@mrcltn.org.au

Open the Information and Referral Information sheet

Business and skilled migrants may also find out more about Tasmania on the Migration Tasmania website

Tasmanian Government subsidised training

The Australian Government Fostering Integration Grants Scheme is helping local community organisations to  deliver programs and activities that give migrants the best chance of  succeeding – assisting them to integrate into Australian economic, social and  civil life, while promoting Australian values.

• Fostering Integration Grants Scheme

Provides information on how to apply for Australian Citizenship.

•  Australian Citizenship

Migration Support Program

Visas for Australia

Office of Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA)

The Migration Support Program offers non-commercial immigration assistance to eligible newly-arrived humanitarian migrants. This assistance may include migration advice, form support, and in some cases representation.

For more information, please contact the Migrant Resource Centre:

Phone:  03 6221 0999

Email: migrationsupport@mrchobart.org.au

The Code of Conduct for registered migration agents prescribes the appropriate practice for migration agents. The Code of Conduct may be viewed here.

Registered Migration Agents (Colin Maier – MARN: 1687867)

The Department of Home Affairs provides information about visas for Australia.

Find out whether you need the services of a Migration Agent.

The Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA) is an office of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.

To find a Migration Agent near you visit the OMARA website.

Tasmania offers a wide range of employment opportunities for skilled migrants, as well as a great lifestyle.

Visit the Migration Tasmania website