Since 2013, the Australian government has offered resettlement to Australia for certified Afghan locally engaged employees (LEE) and their direct family members who are at risk of harm as result of their work in support of Australia’s operations in Afghanistan.

In 2021, the Senate Inquiry on Australia’s Engagement in Afghanistan recommended a full and thorough whole-of-government review of the Afghan LEE Program. On 10 November 2022, the government appointed Dr Vivienne Thom AM to lead the review. Dr Thom provided her report to the Australian government on 20 March 2023.

Dr Thom made seven recommendations to improve the design and delivery of the Afghan LEE Program. The Australian government has already begun implementing a number of these recommendations. The report also included an eighth recommendation to improve the design of any future, similar LEE program.