JOINT MEDIA RELEASE

As Australia marks Refugee Week 2026 and celebrates the milestone of welcoming one million refugees since World War II, Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Australia and the St Vincent de Paul Society National Council of Australia are calling for permanent and dignified solutions for hundreds of people still living with uncertainty after Australia’s offshore detention regime.

Around 700 people who were transferred under offshore processing arrangements and later brought to Australia for urgent medical treatment remain on temporary visas without a pathway to permanency.

JRS Australia Country Director Fr Brett O’Neill SJ said many of these individuals had spent years contributing to Australian communities while continuing to live with uncertainty about their future.

“Many of these people have spent more than a decade in Australia. They are part of our communities, workplaces, schools and churches. They deserve permanent and dignified solutions,” Fr Brett said.

Among those affected is refugee advocate Thanush, who sought asylum in Australia in 2013 and spent 7.5 years detained on Manus Island before being transferred to Australia under the Medevac program.

Since then, Thanush has become a leading advocate for people seeking asylum through JRS Australia’s Refugee Leadership Program, sharing his story in schools, churches and community forums.

“Half of my life has been spent fighting for freedom,” he said.

“There are hundreds of people like me. We have built lives here and are part of the community in Australia. But we still do not have the right to stay in the place we call home.”

St Vincent de Paul Society National President Mark Gaetani said Refugee Week was an opportunity to celebrate the contributions of refugees while also reflecting on those who remain left behind.

“Australia is a compassionate and welcoming country. We have a proud legacy of protecting people seeking safety, and we should stand up when people are being left behind,” Mr Gaetani said.

During Refugee Week, JRS Australia will host a Refugee Leadership Exhibition in Sydney and launch educational resources for Catholic schools designed to help students engage more deeply with refugee experiences and foster a more welcoming Australia.

The organisations are encouraging Australians to celebrate the leadership, resilience and contributions of refugees and people seeking asylum, while supporting calls for lasting solutions for those who remain in limbo.

Read the full joint media release here.