Your Guide to Asylum Seeker Support in Tasmania: Where to Go and What to Do
If you or someone you know is an Oromo asylum seeker in Tasmania, a network of support is available—from legal advice to healthcare, settlement services, and community connections. Here is what you need to know.
The First Step: Legal Advice and Your Asylum Application
When you arrive in Australia as an asylum seeker, your immigration status is the most urgent concern. Your legal rights, your ability to work, and your access to many services depend on the type of visa you hold or have applied for.
The Tasmanian Refugee Legal Service (TRLS) is the state’s only dedicated free legal service for refugees, asylum seekers, and humanitarian entrants . They provide free legal advice and representation for Tasmanian residents regarding protection visa applications and legal advice for humanitarian entrants .
TRLS services include:
- Help with visa applications
- Support for interviews with the Department of Home Affairs
- Preparation and advocacy before the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART)
- Representation in Judicial Review before the Federal Circuit Court
- Assistance with Ministerial Intervention Requests
Contact TRLS: Visit their website at trls.org.au to get started.
Other legal support options:
- Refugee Legal provides specialist legal assistance to asylum seekers and refugees across Australia, including Tasmania .
- Refugee Advice and Casework Service (RACS) – Free specialist legal services for people seeking asylum (though primarily based in other states, they can assist with inquiries).
Important note for Oromo community members: TRLS has experience working with the Ethiopian community in Tasmania .
Finding Your Community: Settlement Support
Connecting with community-based organisations can help you navigate the complex settlement process and access practical support.
Migrant Resource Centre Tasmania (MRC Tas) is a not-for-profit organisation that supports and empowers migrants and refugees to settle and live fulfilling lives in Tasmania . Established in 1979, they provide an extensive range of services .
MRC Tas services include:
- Individual and group case management
- Settlement support
- Employment assistance
- Mental health support, including counselling
- Health and life skills programs
- Youth work
- Support for older people
- Community development
Crucially for the Oromo community: MRC Tas has bicultural workers who speak Oromo. They have staff representing 16 different cultures, including Oromo, Arabic, Amharic, Farsi, Nepali, and others . MRC Tas has held community events for the Oromo community, including mental health awareness activities .
Contact MRC Tas:
- Glenorchy Office: KGV Sports and Community Centre, Level 2, 1a Anfield Street, Glenorchy, TAS 7010 | Phone: (03) 6221 0999
- Launceston Office: 27 Paterson Street, Launceston, TAS 7250 | Phone: (03) 6724 2820
- Email: reception@mrctas.org.au
Other settlement and community services:
| Service | What They Offer | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Humanitarian Settlement Program (HSP) | Newly arrived humanitarian entrants during initial settlement (6-18 months) | Delivered by MRC Tas |
| Status Resolution Support Services (SRSS) | Asylum seekers facing multiple vulnerabilities | Delivered by Settlement Services International (SSI) or Life Without Barriers (LWB) |
| Settlement Engagement and Transition Support (SETS) | Humanitarian entrants in the first five years of settlement | Delivered by MRC Tas |
| Australian Red Cross – Tasmania Migration Support Program | Promoting human rights, supporting migrants | Contact via Red Cross |
| Multicultural Council of Tasmania | Advocating for Tasmania’s multicultural community |
Healthcare: Accessing Medical Support
As an asylum seeker, accessing healthcare can be complex, but Tasmania has dedicated services for people from refugee backgrounds.
Asylum seekers and refugees are eligible for free treatment in Tasmanian public hospitals. To confirm your status, you will need to produce documents from the Department of Home Affairs or a recognised asylum support agency such as the Red Cross .
Key healthcare services:
| Service | What They Offer | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Refugee Health Service | Comprehensive primary care, including the on-arrival Refugee Health Assessment | Delivered through Royal Hobart Hospital |
| Royal Hobart Hospital – Refugee & Humanitarian Arrivals Clinic | Specialist health services for refugees and humanitarian entrants | |
| The Phoenix Centre (MRC Tas) | Specialist mental health services, including torture and trauma counselling | Contact MRC Tas |
| Multicultural Access Point (MAP) | Information and services for migrants and humanitarian entrants |
If you need an interpreter: Tasmanian hospitals provide free professional interpreters for patients who do not have adequate English proficiency . This includes on-site, telephone, and telehealth interpreters .
Your health rights: MRC Tas runs programs to help CALD individuals and their families understand their healthcare rights and build skills to self-advocate .
Employment and Training: Building a New Career
Finding sustainable employment is essential for rebuilding your life. MRC Tas provides employment assistance specifically for humanitarian entrants.
Settlement Engagement Transition Support (SETS) Employment Support – For humanitarian entrants in their first five years of settlement, MRC Tas offers individual employment support sessions .
Services include:
- Career coaching
- Driving program support
- Migrant Network connections
- Targeted skills groups and language-supported workshops
To arrange an employment support session:
- Phone the Settlement Team on (03) 6221 0999 (call 131 450 first if you need an interpreter)
- Email: settlement@mrctas.org.au
- Visit the Glenorchy or Launceston office
Other employment programs:
- Migrant Employment Participation Program (MEEP) in Hospitality – 12-week training program for multicultural individuals with working rights
- MEEP in Building and Construction – Training and employment pathways in construction
- Bridge to Belonging – Community participation program connecting participants with local communities
If you have working rights, you may be eligible for these programs. For more information, contact MRC Tas.
Mental Health and Wellbeing
Many asylum seekers have experienced trauma and face significant stress during the settlement process. Specialised mental health support is available in Tasmania.
The Phoenix Centre (MRC Tas) provides specialist mental health services, including torture and trauma counselling . The team works with culturally diverse community members, holding events in various community languages .
ExpressAbility Program is a statewide initiative supporting CALD individuals living with mental health challenges. It is delivered by trained CALD mentors with lived experience of psychosocial disabilities .
Bridge to Belonging connects participants with local communities, providing peer-led support to reduce isolation and increase capacity .
Mothers Circle supports mothers from refugee, asylum seeker, or humanitarian backgrounds in parenting and understanding their children .
Contact for mental health support:
- South Region: phoenix@mrctas.org.au
- North Region: Andrew Kelly, 0477 285 217 or akelly@mrctas.org.au
What to Do: A Step-by-Step Guide
- Seek legal advice immediately. Contact the Tasmanian Refugee Legal Service (TRLS) for free advice on your visa status and protection visa application.
- Connect with settlement services. Contact Migrant Resource Centre Tasmania (MRC Tas) to access settlement support, case management, and community connections. Ask for an Oromo-speaking bicultural worker if needed .
- Access healthcare. If you need medical care, you are eligible for free treatment in Tasmanian public hospitals. Bring documentation from the Department of Home Affairs or the Red Cross . Contact the Refugee Health Service at Royal Hobart Hospital for a health assessment .
- If you have experienced trauma, seek mental health support. Contact the Phoenix Centre through MRC Tas for specialist counselling.
- Explore employment and training. If you have working rights, ask MRC Tas about the SETS employment support program or the MEEP training programs .
- Connect with your community. Reach out to MRC Tas to connect with Oromo community networks and bicultural workers .
A Message of Hope
Seeking asylum is a journey of courage. You have already taken the most difficult step by seeking safety. In Tasmania, you are not alone—a network of legal experts, healthcare providers, community organisations, and support services is ready to help you rebuild your life with dignity.
Key contacts for the Oromo community in Tasmania:
| Service | Contact |
|---|---|
| Tasmanian Refugee Legal Service (TRLS) | trls.org.au |
| Migrant Resource Centre Tasmania (MRC Tas) | (03) 6221 0999 |
| Interpreters | 131 450 (TIS National) |
| Royal Hobart Hospital – Refugee Health | (03) 6166 8308 |
| Phoenix Centre (Mental Health) | Contact MRC Tas |
You are not alone. Help is available. And your new life in Australia is beginning.
Advocacy for Oromia 