First LGBTIQA+ refugee arrives in Australia through nation-first resettlement program

An LGBTIQA+ refugee who spent years fearing persecution because he is gay has arrived in Australia, becoming the first person resettled through a new program, Bridge to Safety, designed to reach people often shut out of traditional protection systems according to the refugee support charity Forcibly Displaced People Network. 

The refugee, identified as Farsheed to protect his identity, arrived after lawyers prepared and lodged his visa application through the refugee program Bridge to Safety. Organisers said his arrival offered the first practical test of the program, which began in early 2026.

Bridge to Safety was initiated by the Forcibly Displaced People Network, an LGBTIQA+ refugee-led organisation, in partnership with the Refugee Advice and Case Worker Service (RACS). It identifies applicants through community networks, helps them assemble evidence and provides specialist legal assistance through the visa process.

LGBTIQA+ refugees can face obstacles beyond those confronting other displaced people, including rejection by relatives, discrimination from service providers and asylum procedures that may not allow them to disclose their experiences safely. Advocates say those barriers can leave people with strong protection claims unable to reach resettlement systems.

Dr Renee Dixson, the Forcibly Displaced People Network’s executive director, said Farsheed’s case showed what could happen when affected communities were involved in finding and supporting refugees.

The two organisations will continue helping Farsheed settle in Australia while it works to verify new referrals and prepares further applications. For the program’s organisers, his arrival is both an individual escape from danger and evidence that community knowledge, legal support and government resettlement channels can successfully work together.

To learn more about the Bridge to Safety program and help support their work, visit their website here.