Support for newly arrived Palestinians

Since the Israel-Gaza conflict began in October 2023, the Commonwealth Government has issued over 2,200 visas to Palestinians. Since this time, over 400 Palestinians are thought to have arrived in Victoria on visitor visas (subclass 600). Since early 2025, the Commonwealth Government has provided pathways to temporary humanitarian stay on a case-by-case basis.

The Palestinian community in Victoria is small, with approximately 4,000 Palestinian born individuals residing in Victoria. Many of the new arrivals have said they need more support connecting with the existing Palestinian community in Victoria, as well as connecting with services and referral pathways.

This guide was prepared by the Multicultural Affairs portfolio in the Department of Premier and Cabinet. It summarises the supports available to newly arrived Palestinians who have been displaced by the Israel-Gaza conflict and arrive in Victoria.

The supports and services available to new arrivals will vary depending on visa type. There are several visa types available to newly arrived Palestinians.

Visa classifications

Visitor (subclass 600) visa

Arrivals with a visitor (subclass 600) visa are not eligible for Medicare, income support or work rights. This visa subclass does not allow access to Humanitarian Settlement Program (HSP) supports.

Bridging (subclass 050) visa E

Since February 2024, the Commonwealth Government has begun granting bridging (subclass 050) visas E for people on a visitor visas from Gaza. This visa grants access to Medicare, work and study rights. However, students remain liable for study fees, and this visa subclass does not grant access to Humanitarian Settlement Program supports.

Temporary Humanitarian Stay (subclass 449) visa

In March 2025, the Commonwealth announced a new visa pathway for Palestinians impacted by the conflict in Gaza. This new temporary humanitarian stay pathway is a two-step process that involves:

the grant of a Temporary Humanitarian Stay (subclass 449) visa
followed by a Temporary Humanitarian Concern (subclass 786) visa (see below).

While individuals are being assessed for a subclass 786 visa, the subclass 449 visa is a short-term visa that allows visa holders to work, study and access a number of settlement supports, including the Humanitarian Settlement Program, Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) and social services.

Individuals cannot access Medicare while holding a Subclass 449 visa. Individuals will only have access to Medicare if they are granted a subclass 786 visa. Individuals who currently have access to Medicare will have their access reinstated if they are granted a Subclass 786 visa. The Commonwealth Government has said it will try to minimise any gaps in Medicare coverage.

Temporary Humanitarian Concern (subclass 786) visa

This is a three-year visa. The Commonwealth Government has said that pathways to a permanent visa may be considered during the temporary stay visa. Individuals who accept the offer can receive support through the Humanitarian Settlement Program and Adult Migrant English Program immediately.

Visa type	Work rights	Income support	Study rights	Medicare	Settlement supports
Visitor (subclass 600)	No	No	May be eligible	No	No
Bridging (subclass 050)	Yes	No	Yes^*	Yes	No
Temporary Humanitarian Stay (subclass 449)	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
Temporary Humanitarian Concern (subclass 786)	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
Visitor (subclass 600)	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes

^*Students remain liable for study fees.

It is important to note that some Palestinians arriving in Victoria may not be aware of their eligibility for services and should therefore be encouraged to contact the Humanitarian Settlement Service provider in Victoria, AMES: settlement@ames.net.au or 13 2637.

Service Guide

Visa support and family reunification
The Commonwealth Government is responsible for all visa-related issues, including processing applications. See here for information about the Commonwealth’s visa support and application forms.
If individuals have visa enquiries about family or loved ones in Israel or Gaza, queries can be sent to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on +61 2 6261 3305 (from overseas) or 1300 555 135 (toll free from within Australia).
See here for advice on the specific visa support available to people displaced by the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Legal support for visa applications
To support family members still in Gaza, some new arrivals will need legal advice or support to apply for a family reunification or other visa type. Some arrivals may also need assistance with their own visa status, particularly if they have a temporary visa.
It is critical to seek legal support and advice before submitting a visa application. It is also important that individuals are referred to a qualified legal service.
The following organisations can provide more information:
- The Commonwealth Department of Home Affairs provides advice to individuals who wish to extend their stay in Australia, including visa options and information about the Temporary Humanitarian Stay (subclass 449) and Temporary Humanitarian Concern (subclass 786) visas.
- Refugee Legal has a number of supports including a dedicated hotline for people impacted by the conflict (Israel-Gaza Legal Hotline – 03 9413 0107). It also has an information sheet on free legal help, available in English, Arabic and Hebrew (Israel-Gaza Crisis Information Sheet).
- Migration agents or lawyers registered with the Office of Migration Agents Registration Authority.
- The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) Human Rights Law Program (HRLP) provides free legal advice and services to refugees and people seeking asylum. This includes limited legal assistance, advice, information or representation. The program also offers free legal clinics and regular information sessions and workshops for refugees and individuals seeking asylum. For further information regarding HRLP, contact ASRC’s legal team at legal@asrc.org.au or via phone on 03 9274 9889.
The Victorian Government provides free public health care, including mental health support for people who are displaced by the Israel-Gaza conflict. Support is available for those on a visitor visa, who are ineligible for Medicare and do not receive government-subsidised health services. Further information on refugee and asylum seeker health and wellbeing is available in the Department of Health guide for Victorian health services.(opens in a new window)
Newly arrived Palestinians can receive access to care in Victorian hospitals as admitted, non-admitted and emergency patients. Fees will be waived for:
Individuals displaced due to the conflict will also have access to several other Victorian health services, including specialised refugee and asylum seeker support. Available services include:
- Victorian Virtual Emergency Department(opens in a new window)
- Urgent Care Clinics(opens in a new window)
- Maternal and Child Health Services(opens in a new window)
- Early Parenting Centres(opens in a new window)
- Mental health and wellbeing support, including through Mental Health & Wellbeing Hubs(opens in a new window) and Mental Health & Wellbeing Locals(opens in a new window) (‘Local Services’) 
Mental health and wellbeing
Several government and non-government services provide access to free mental health and wellbeing support to individuals regardless of Medicare status:
- Mental Health & Wellbeing Hubs(opens in a new window) provide people of all ages in Victoria with support for a range of issues
- Mental Health & Wellbeing Locals(opens in a new window) are available to anyone aged 26 years and over experiencing mental health or wellbeing concerns
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect centres(opens in a new window) offer support to families, carers and supporters of individuals experiencing mental health challenges, psychological distress and/or substance use challenges. This is a free service, and individuals do not need a referral or Medicare card to access supports
- The Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture (Foundation House)(opens in a new window) provides specialised counselling services and supports to adults and children who have experienced torture, persecution or war-related trauma before arriving in Australia. Foundation House has developed trauma-informed resources(opens in a new window) in partnership with the Department of Education to support school communities working with students from refugee backgrounds
- Centre for Muslim Wellbeing provides resources, community events and support for people impacted by the conflict in Gaza.
Maternal and child health
Families can access free maternal and child health services regardless of visa status.
New arrivals enrolled in the City of Melbourne’s Victorian Maternal and Child Health (MCH)(opens in a new window) have access to physical and developmental checks, referrals, and childhood immunisations. Children and families who live in Melbourne’s outer suburbs are eligible to receive MCH services.
People who need urgent accommodation can call the 24-hour statewide helpline: 1800 825 955 (toll-free). This will connect the caller to the nearest homelessness services entry point
- After hours: this phone call will redirect to Salvation Army Crisis Services.
- For more locations to access homelessness support, visit: services.dffh.vic.gov.au/getting-help(opens in a new window).
The Housing Establishment Fund (HEF) supports people experiencing homelessness or housing crises by funding emergency accommodation. HEF may also be used for Bond Loans where the person is ineligible for the RentAssist Bond Loan, for example where they do not hold an eligible Visa.
Individuals holding Temporary Humanitarian Visa (subclass 449 or 786) are eligible to apply for the RentAssist Bond Loan Program.
Private Rental Assistance Program (PRAP) helps prevent or end homelessness by:
- Securing/maintaining private rentals for at-risk households.
- Supporting transitions from crisis/transitional/social housing to independent living.
- Open to all who meet PRAP eligibility criteria, regardless of visa status, if assessed by a community provider.
Some community-based organisations are supporting housing and accommodation arrangements for newly arrived Palestinians (including Palestinian Christians).
The ASRC provides a drop-in service(opens in a new window) for people seeking asylum which provides access to information and services relating to material aid.
Palestine Australia Relief and Action(opens in a new window) provides a range of supports including material aid, basic needs assistance and case coordination to help Palestinians arriving in Victoria.
Victorian Arabic Social Service and Arabic Welfare both provide material aid and a range of social supports for Palestinians arriving in Victoria.
West Welcome Wagon(opens in a new window) provides practical material aid to people seeking asylum and refugees living in Melbourne’s western suburbs.
Place-based support for families and young people
Community Hubs Australia(opens in a new window) connect refugees and asylum seeker families with services to assist them settle in Australia, including education. Community hubs are welcoming places where families from diverse backgrounds, particularly families with pre-school children, come to connect, share and learn.
The Centre for Multicultural Youth has also developed a range of resources and information(opens in a new window) for young people and their families about school education in Victoria.
VICSEG New Futures' supported playgroups for new arrivals(opens in a new window) focus on the wider developmental needs of young children and provide early learning experiences that promote positive pathways to kindergarten and primary school. Families also benefit from social support, practical information about health, nutrition and child wellbeing, and opportunities to enhance their skills and confidence in a supported environment.
Unaccompanied minors
Unaccompanied minors and their carers are supported through Victoria’s Refugee Minor Program(opens in a new window). Referrals can only be made by the Commonwealth Department of Home Affairs.
Individuals that hold a visitor visa may be ineligible for some education supports. This includes access to free technical and further education (TAFE), and fee exemption for primary and secondary school education. Some new arrivals have access to other tailored education supports.
Early childhood education
In Victoria children can attend 2 years of funded kindergarten before starting school:
- Three-Year-Old Kindergarten for up to 15 hours each week, followed by
- Four-Year-Old Kindergarten for 15 hours each week, or
- Pre-Prep which is for 16 to 30 hours each week.
Kindergarten programs are free at participating services in Victoria.
Free Kinder is for everyone, families do not need to have Australian Citizenship or Permanent Residency to be eligible for Free Kinder. Kindergarten can be provided in sessional services or integrated into a long day care service. In a sessional kindergarten service participating in Free Kinder, there are no compulsory out-of-pocket fees or expenses.
In participating long day care services, fees are charged for all hours of education and care and Free Kinder is applied as an offset to a family’s fees. This means that cost will vary based on factors like a family’s Child Care Subsidy (CCS)(opens in a new window) entitlement. It is important to understand the distinction to ensure families would not incur a debt.
Families can enrol their children in kindergarten by contacting an early childhood education and care service or their local council.
More information on kindergarten in English(opens in a new window) and Arabic(opens in a new window).
For further information please contact an Early Childhood Improvement Branch(opens in a new window).
CALD Outreach Initiative
The Department of Education funds 26 local councils to employ culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) Outreach Workers to provide direct support to families from CALD backgrounds. CALD Outreach Workers help families to register and enrol in kindergarten, maximise attendance at kindergarten, engage with other early childhood supports in their local area, such as community playgroups and Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services, and support the transition to school.
For a list of participating councils please visit Supporting CALD families to engage in kindergarten(opens in a new window).
More hours of early childhood education
Children from refugee or asylum seeker backgrounds are eligible for more hours of funded kindergarten:
- Early Start Kindergarten (ESK)(opens in a new window) offers 15 hours per week of free or low-cost kindergarten to 3-year-old children from a refugee or asylum seeker background.
- From 2026, Pre-Prep will give 4-year-old children from a refugee or asylum seeker background access to between 16 and 25 hours per week of kindergarten, depending on the program offered by the kindergarten service attended.
All professionals can advise kindergarten services of a child's eligibility for ESK or Pre-Prep. For further information, please contact an Early Childhood Improvement Branch(opens in a new window).
Access to Early Learning (AEL)
Access to Early Learning (AEL)(opens in a new window) supports eligible 3-year-old children and families experiencing multiple and complex barriers to attending kindergarten. It includes assistance with enrolment and support for learning at home. For information including referral pathways, visit the access to early learning for professionals(opens in a new window) for further support.
Primary and secondary school
Students on humanitarian visas (449, 786), and students who have submitted an application for a humanitarian visa (449, 786), are not required to pay fees to attend a government school in Victoria.
Primary and secondary-aged children who have arrived in Victoria on visitor visas can apply to access temporary education(opens in a new window), up to 12 weeks. There are both tuition and non-tuition fees for temporary education, however the Department of Education may provide fee exemptions on a case-by-case basis for students arriving from Gaza.
Students on a visitor visa who are permitted to stay beyond three months and have received a bridging visa, are allowed to attend school beyond 12 weeks. Although a bridging visa will not start until the visitor visa has expired, Palestinian visitor visa holders under 18 years old are exempt from study restrictions while their visa status is being resolved.
In government schools, support is available to newly arrived students for the cost of education related items such as textbooks and uniforms. This is available to students on temporary visas and humanitarian visas (or those who have applied for humanitarian visas and are currently waiting for a bridging visa). Principals or wellbeing officers should apply via the State Schools’ Relief(opens in a new window) online portal on behalf the student and mention that the student has recently arrived from Palestine.
State Schools’ Relief also provides support by:
- providing vouchers to assist with the cost of purchasing textbooks
- directly providing uniforms, footwear and other essential educational resources (or through a voucher if the item cannot be provided).
Please contact State Schools’ Relief directly if additional support is required.
Find out more about help with school costs and fees(opens in a new window).
The Camps Sports and Excursion Fund (CSEF)(opens in a new window) assists parents with the cost of school camps, sports and excursions at government schools. Sufficient evidence for the CSEF application includes:
- a bridging visa, for students applying for humanitarian visas
- a letter from an appropriate welfare agency stating the student is a new arrival from Palestine, for students without bridging visas.
English language provision for newly arrived students
Newly arrived students from language backgrounds other than English who meet eligibility criteria can access intensive English as an additional language (EAL) support through a new arrivals program within the Victorian government education system.
New arrivals programs(opens in a new window) are currently offered through 5 English language schools (ELS) (each with multiple campuses across areas of high demand), 2 English language centres (ELC) in metropolitan locations (Broadmeadows and Westall) and 2 regional ELCs (Mildura and Shepparton).
Students enrolled in isolated or rural mainstream schools who cannot access a full-time program may be supported through the Virtual New Arrivals Program.
Vocational education
The Asylum Seeker Vocational Education and Training (ASVET) program(opens in a new window) provides asylum seekers with an exemption from the citizenship and residency criteria typically required for Victorian Government subsidised Skills-First training.
Under ASVET, individuals seeking asylum can enrol at technical and further education (TAFE) and courses provided through Learn Local providers. Anyone who has applied for a humanitarian, protection or refugee visa and hold a bridging visa are also eligible for the program.
New Futures Training(opens in a new window) provides nationally accredited courses and employment support to multicultural communities and helps them to find the jobs.
Employment and training support is available to newly arrived migrants, but an individual’s work rights is dependent on their visa type.
Individuals on visitor visas do not have working rights. A summary of supports for individuals whose visa types do grant work rights, is provided below.
1. Jobs Victoria provides employment services(opens in a new window) to newly arrived migrants, people seeking asylum and refugees. This includes training, education and learning opportunities to support jobseekers to become work-ready and secure employment. Individuals can also access employment support through Jobs Victoria’s Work and Learning Centres(opens in a new window), located in Fitzroy, North Geelong, Morwell, Ballarat and Shepparton.
2. The Reconnect Program(opens in a new window) is delivered statewide and supports individuals experiencing disadvantage to overcome barriers to education, training and employment. Individuals who hold, or have applied for, a humanitarian, protection or refugee visa are eligible for the program.
3. The Victorian Government’s Skills and Jobs Centres(opens in a new window) provides free career, employment and training services to all Victorians, regardless of visa status. The program offers a range of services, including career counselling, apprenticeship and training pathways, study advice, and job matching to local employment opportunities.
Victorian healthcare card holders are entitled to travel concessions in Victoria. They can purchase a concession myki and access concession fares.
Individuals seeking asylum are eligible for a Public Transport Victoria (PTV) Asylum Seeker ID(opens in a new window) and a concession myki. This provides a 50 per cent discount on public transport.
Not-for-profit and charitable organisations may be able to support asylum seekers with myki or public transport travel vouchers.
Children under 18 who are Victorian residents can apply for a youth myki for free travel from 1 January 2026.