What is the purpose of RALS?
The purpose of the Refugee Airfare Loans Scheme (RALS) is to provide Humanitarian Entrants who would not otherwise be reasonably able to pay for their airfare from their country of refuge to Australia, with access to a loan to pay for their airfare. RALS does this without charging interest and with a repayment plan tailored to suit the applicants’ financial circumstances. The loan must only be used for the cost of the initial voyage from the country of refuge to Australia. RALS is not simply a credit facility for airfares, it is a community-based initiative to assist refugees to settle in Australia. The purpose of having a revolving loan scheme is to maximise the capital available to assist people. This gives recipients an opportunity to assist the next generation of people in need.
