Free settlement support for Subclass 200 holders in 2026: AUSCO, HSP, AMEP
What Subclass 200 holders get at no cost in 2026: AUSCO before travel, the Humanitarian Settlement Program on arrival, and free AMEP English classes.
Subclass 200 (Refugee) holders can draw on three distinct settlement supports at no cost: the five-day Australian Cultural Orientation (AUSCO) program delivered overseas before you travel, the Humanitarian Settlement Program (HSP) once you are in Australia, and free English language classes through the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP). This is what the Department of Home Affairs sets out on its Refugee category visas (Subclass 200, 201, 203 and 204) official page. The three sit at different points in the journey — one before departure, one on contact after approval, one as an ongoing entitlement of the visa — so it helps to know which applies when. This article is general information only and is not advice tailored to your circumstances; settlement support can turn on your own situation, so the department's current official pages or a qualified professional should be your final reference.
What is AUSCO, and who can attend?
The Australian Cultural Orientation (AUSCO) Program is a five-day program that is free and open to all humanitarian visa holders over the age of 5. It is delivered overseas, and its purpose is to give you an understanding of life in Australia before you arrive — Australian history, culture, society and values in the same territory covered by the department's Life in Australia booklet.
Because the program runs offshore, the practical question is not whether you can join but when the course is scheduled relative to your travel date. The department's page does not fix a schedule, so the timing is arranged as part of your departure process rather than chosen by you.
What does the Humanitarian Settlement Program actually cover?
The Humanitarian Settlement Program is a free service that runs across Australia. Its stated focus is on helping you learn English and to gain education or work skills — in other words, the two things that most directly shape whether settlement turns into employment or study.
The program is not something you have to find and apply to in the first instance: the department's page states that this service will contact you when your visa is approved. That contact step is the bridge between the grant decision and your first weeks in Australia.
Are AMEP English classes free, and what do they involve?
Free English language classes through the Adult Migrant English Program are listed by the department among the things you can do while holding this visa, alongside working, studying and enrolling in Medicare. The visa page describes the entitlement but does not set out enrolment rules, class hours or eligibility tests there, so the current AMEP material published by the department is the place to confirm how and where you enrol.
How do the three compare?
| Support | Where it happens | Who it covers | Focus | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUSCO | Overseas, before arrival | Humanitarian visa holders over 5 | Understanding life in Australia | Free |
| HSP | Across Australia, after arrival | Contacted when visa approved | English, education and work skills | Free |
| AMEP | In Australia, while holding the visa | Listed as a visa entitlement | English language classes | Free |
What other support sits around your arrival?
Two further pieces of government-funded assistance appear on the same page, and both affect the period immediately before you fly.
Departure health check. You, and any family members travelling with you on the visa, may be required to have a health check in the 72 hours before you leave for Australia. The Australian Government covers the cost. The check includes confirming you are healthy enough to travel, a physical check-up, a pregnancy test, tests for communicable diseases, vaccinations if needed (such as for measles, mumps and rubella), and treatment of parasites and infestations if needed. You must agree to follow up on any health conditions after you arrive in Australia.
Assisted Passage. The department arranges your travel to Australia at no cost to you. Assisted Passage services are delivered globally by Toll Remote Logistics Pty Ltd (Toll), following a transition from the International Organization for Migration (IOM); Toll helps you attend health appointments and, if you are granted a visa, assists you to travel to Australia.
Against that, one obligation is strict: you must enter Australia before the first entry arrival date (initial arrival date) specified in your grant letter. If that date has passed, the department may issue a travel facilitation letter, and may first ask you to undergo another medical examination.
What the visa itself already gives you
The free programs sit on top of a permanent visa. Holders can stay in Australia permanently, work and study, enrol in Medicare, propose family members for permanent residence, travel to and from Australia for 5 years from the date of grant, become an Australian citizen if eligible, and attend AMEP classes. You become a permanent resident when you enter Australia, and for citizenship purposes your permanent residence starts on the day you enter on this visa.
Travel is not open-ended: after the 5-year travel period, a Resident Return (RRV) visa (subclass 155 or 157) is needed to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AUSCO compulsory?
The department describes AUSCO as a five-day program that is free and open to all humanitarian visa holders over the age of 5, and the visa page does not list attendance as a visa condition. Your visa conditions are shown through VEVO, which is the authoritative record of what you must do.
Do AUSCO, HSP and AMEP cost anything?
No. AUSCO, the Humanitarian Settlement Program and AMEP English classes are all described as free, and there is no visa application charge for the Subclass 200 visa itself. The departure health check is also covered by the Australian Government.
How will HSP get in touch with me?
The department's page states that the Humanitarian Settlement Program will contact you when your visa is approved, which means the approach comes from the service rather than from an application you need to make first.
Can my family members use these services?
AUSCO is open to humanitarian visa holders over the age of 5, and the Humanitarian Settlement Program is free and runs across Australia. Family members included in your application — a partner, dependent children, a partner's dependent children, or another dependent relative — hold the visa on the same terms.
What documents do I need to travel?
You must have a valid visa to enter Australia and a valid travel document such as a passport or an ImmiCard. All people arriving in Australia must complete an Incoming Passenger Card, which is provided on board.
What happens after I arrive?
You must obey all Australian laws, and changes to your phone number, email, address or ImmiCard, changes to your relationship status, and the birth of a child are all things you need to tell the department about. If you signed a health undertaking, you must comply with it.