Almost 118 million people have been forced to flee their homes because of war or violence. That is 1 in 70 people.

Australia has an obligation under international law towards those affected, offering safety and supporting host countries. It’s legal to seek asylum – in fact, seeking asylum is a human right.

Facts about refugees and people seeking asylum

  • The Refugee Advice & Casework Service (RACS) is a nonprofit providing essential legal support and advocacy for people who have fled persecution to find safety and certainty in Australia. We help refugees, people seeking asylum, stateless individuals and those who are displaced. Since 1987, we've helped more than 75,000 people. 

  • RACS provides free, trauma-informed legal help for people seeking asylum and refugees already in Australia. People can call the RACS legal helpline Monday to Friday or seek help in-person at our Auburn drop-in service on Wednesdays. Legal help may include assistance with applying and reapplying for protection visas, and representation at Department interviews and at Administrative Review Tribunal appeals. RACS can provide advice about bringing family members to Australia. RACS also shares legal information on emerging legal issues relevant to refugees and people seeking asylum.  

    The Australian immigration system is complicated and often gruelling. It’s difficult for people seeking asylum to navigate it alone. While other services for refugees are valuable, only legal support can help people seeking asylum apply for permanent visas – and a permanent visa is the key to lasting safety. 

  • RACS offers legal advice and representation to refugees and people seeking asylum of all nationalities, religions and gender identities. RACS’s free and independent legal representation has helped more than 75,000 people since 1987, with almost 5,000 people accessing our services in the last year alone.  

    Generally, we can only assist individuals who are physically in Australia.

  • A person seeking asylum is someone looking for protection because they fear persecution or have experienced human rights violations in their home country.

    A refugee is a person who asked for protection and has been given refugee status.

    Not every person seeking asylum becomes a refugee, but every refugee starts out as a person seeking asylum.

  • RACS provides legal services and advocacy for refugees and people seeking asylum. While other refugee charities offer other helpful services such as food, housing or employment opportunities, legal services to apply for a protection visa are the key to a safe future for refugees in Australia. RACS’s legal services create long-term impact.   

    RACS also has specialised programs dedicated to helping women at risk of gender-based harm, LGBTQI+ refugees and stateless children. 

    RACS is an independent, non-government organisation.

  • RACS is a registered nonprofit with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) and holds Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status. We publish annual reports and financial statements here. RACS is registered with the Australian Tax Office (ATO) and our ABN is 46 008 173 978.

    All donations over $2 are tax-deductible in Australia. You can donate directly at donate.racs.org.au. For different ways you can support RACS, check out the Ways to Give page of our website. 

    You can contact fundraising@racs.org.au with any questions about giving to RACS.

  • RACS is funded through donations and grants. RACS relies on the financial support of philanthropic foundations, corporations and individual donors to power the critical legal services that help refugees and people seeking asylum find safety and certainty in Australia.  

    One-off government grants were received as part of the federal government’s plan to address a backlog of protection cases at the Department of Home Affairs (FY2024-27) and the Administrative Review Tribunal (FY2024-26). These funds are specifically for certain protection applications and appeals in this category only and do not contribute to RACS’s other programs and core activities. Our work remains reliant on support from donations to be sustainable, adaptable and available to all.

  • Donations to RACS fund essential legal services. Donations enable people seeking asylum to access lawyers, paralegals and support staff. Donations also help fund interpreter costs, RACS’s weekly outreach clinic in Auburn, community information sessions and much more.   

    Thanks to the generosity of UNSW Sydney, which has provided us with office facilities, your donations are not used for rent or utilities.   

    Visit the Our Work page for more details on the range of programs you support.

  • From time to time, RACS will provide updates of relevance to our clients on our website. We also do our best to ensure our legal factsheets are up to date.

    You can also look on the Department of Home Affairs website.