Sign the petition

No matter where we come from, how we got here or what language we speak at home, most of us just want a fair go and a chance for a better life.

But right now, people who came to our shores in search of safety can be denied the right to support themselves or their families with decent work.

Young people seeking a safe life, free from violence and war, can be prohibited from studying by unfair, inconsistent visa conditions, or locked out of HECS-HELP student loans that can bring a life-changing university education within reach.

The failure of previous governments means that people seeking asylum are now living from one insecure, short-term visa to the next for almost half a decade, on average.

The ASRC estimates that at any given time, around 1 in 3 people seeking asylum are living with unfair visa conditions that deny them the right to work.

The pandemic reminded many of us how important it is that we can all access medical care when we’re sick and know there’s a fair social safety net to help us get back on our feet in tough times.

But even when people seeking asylum are allowed to work to support themselves and their families, they are excluded from mainstream social safety nets that are there to help us rebuild and recover from life’s challenges.