JRS Asia Pacific was founded in 1981 to assist Vietnamese boat people and Cambodians fleeing the Khmer Rouge. With a regional office in Bangkok, JRS Asia Pacific supports refugees and other forcibly displaced people in Australia, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia.

The situation in the region varies from country to country, as there are different laws and asylum processes in each place.

Among the services, JRS offers teacher training, education, and post-secondary opportunities, including vocational and digital training that enhance refugee self-reliance and resilience. JRS engages refugees and local populations in its community work to promote social cohesion.

JRS also works to alleviate the impact of persecution and displacement on the psychosocial well-being of refugees and asylum seekers by providing counselling, psychosocial activities such as art therapy and sports, and mental health education.

JRS advocates for the rights of refugees on specific issues such as detention alternatives, access to legal documentation, and the institution of a ban on landmines. We raise public awareness of issues through seminars in schools and universities across the region.