Humanitarian migrants, work and economic security on the urban fringe: how policies and perceptions shape opportunities

Focusing only on getting humanitarian migrants (including refugees) into work ignores the other challenges of settling in a new country.

At a glance

The rapidly growing City of Hume in Melbourne’s north-east is the new home for many recently arrived refugees and asylum seekers.

The authors spoke to 23 of Hume’s service providers, local government workers, policymakers, employers and organisations to get their different views about what kind of help would be most useful to these newcomers.

Dive deeper

This study drew on interviews with service providers, employers and others in the City of Hume in Melbourne’s outer north to identify diverse perspectives on the needs of humanitarian migrants and the influence of policy and regulation on their economic security.

Better outcomes for this group will require policy changes such as a redesign of mainstream employment services so providers can offer tailored support geared towards long-term benefits, and improved relocation and resettlement initiatives.