I was one of more than 120,000 Afghans evacuated from Kabul in August 2021 when the government of Afghanistan – backed for two decades by western nations, including Australia – collapsed and uncertainty took hold in Afghanistan again. The fall of the government once again created a mass exodus of Afghans, reminiscent of what had happened in the 1980s and 1990s; and it sparked a mass refugee crisis – a scenario Afghans know only too well.

Evacuation flights ran day and night until thousands of Afghan nationals were evacuated by various nations. Countries including the United States, Australia, the UK, Germany and Canada organised flights from Kabul, Pakistan, Iran, Qatar, UAE and other places as COVID-19 restrictions took hold in many parts of the world.

Hordes of people rushed to the airport in the vain hope of miraculously boarding an international flight from a deserted airport to somehow start a new life in a random part of the world. 

Jalal Ahmadzai

More than 3500 Afghan refugees arrived in Australia during August, September and October on emergency evacuation visas. Many were Australian embassy staff or Afghan nationals who had worked with Australian agencies. At the same time, thousands of Afghan refugees reached countries such as Germany, Canada and the US.

Most of us knew little about the countries we were headed for, or what life would be like when we got there. It was a kind of a ‘devil’s lottery’.

Upon arrival in Australia, refugees were placed in two weeks of hotel quarantine in a variety of cities around the country. After that, we boarded flights to our destinations of choice and were placed in temporary accommodations. Many, like my family chose Melbourne. Others opted for Sydney or Adelaide.

Upon arrival, a case manager from settlement agency, AMES Australia, was assigned to support us. Our case manager was like a navigation aid for us. She helped us with understanding and accessing government services and systems, searching for permanent housing and all other necessities that come with settling in Australia.

A donation campaign run by AMES Australia saw hundreds of refugees receive essential packs of goods including clothing, shoes, baby products, household items among other things.

The campaign, that spanned for over four months, engaged community organisations, AMES volunteers as well as retail giants such as Kmart, Big W and others.

The level of support Afghan refugees received in other parts of the world was not the same. I know this because many of my friends were resettled in these countries. Different host nations had varying policies and support systems in place to settle refugees.

One of the biggest differences was a pathway to permanent residency in host nations.

All of us who arrived in Australia on Subclass 449 visas were immediately eligible for permanent status in Australia and most of us received it in less than 6 months after arrival.

Not only did this mean that we could stay in Australia indefinitely, it also meant we were on path towards citizenship, for which we would be eligible after four years in the country.

In comparison, large numbers of refugees in other countries such as Germany are still remain in limbo with no clear indication as to whether or not they will be settled permanently. Due to recent tensions, political parties in Germany have been calling for the deportation of large numbers of Afghan refugees most, of whom were evacuated by the German government in 2021. With the third anniversary of regime change in Afghanistan fast approaching, thousands are on the brink of deportation to the very place they were evacuated from.

Another major difference is their freedom to travel abroad. Many Afghans living in Europe or the United States are unable to travel overseas due to their visa restrictions. The terms of their visa demand they do not travel outside of the host nation borders or risk not being allowed back in.

In Australia, most of us who arrived as refugees in 2021 and later in 2022 and 2023 hold Subclass 200, 201, 203 or 204 visa which allows us to freely travel anywhere in the world – often to see family members – and to return to Australia.

There are varying levels of opportunity available for Afghan refugees settling around the world. The Australian government offers free English classes under the AMEP program to all newly arrived refugees that comes with free childcare support.

Furthermore, Afghan arrivals are exempt from working for the first 12 months of their arrival as they settle, navigate Australian systems and learn English, if they need to.

We were able to study in free, government funded courses throughout our initial phase of settlement.

In Australia, at the end of the 12 months exemption period, refugees are referred to employment service providers who help them find suitable employment, often in jobs quite close to their prior experience.

Most of the people I came to Australia with seem to be on path towards sustainable employment in Australia in line with their past experience.

This is not the case for many Afghan refugees overseas. Recent reports said German authorities had cut benefits to around 64 asylum seekers who refused to clear debris due to recent flooding in Saxony-Anhalt in exchange for a payment of 80 cents an hour.

Refugees in Australia, Afghan or not, who are eligible for government benefits have the flexibility to apply for various jobs and receive customised support throughout their employment journey.

And for Afghan refugees in Australia who want to do further study, domestic student spots are available as permanent residents. This means they are able to access student loans in order to pursue further studies in Australian universities.

Most Afghan refugees in Australia are incredibly grateful to be here. Everyone I know, especially young people, see themselves as having the opportunity to building good lives here.

Most are already active members of the Australian community and are now helping new arrivals coming in their wake while also engaging with their local communities and organisations.

Recently, I had a conversation with a family who have settled in Melbourne and are studying and working. They said they could not imagine living peacefully anywhere else but in Australia, a place that has given them an environment and opportunities to grow and prosper.

For myself, it feels like that in coming to Australia, my family and I have won that devil’s lottery.