REFUGEES fleeing persecution in Syria and Iraq will become permanent Australian residents from Christmas this year.
In an extraordinary humanitarian gesture, made possible by Australia stopping illegal boat arrivals, Prime Minister Tony Abbott confirmed the nation will accept a special intake of 12,000 Syrian refugees on top of the standard 13,750 intake.
Refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, who are registered with the UNHCF, will make up those who will arrive in Australia in   December, with the entire intake expected to be relocated by   June next year. 
Senior government officials will be deployed to Jordan to conduct interviews, security and health checks on potential refugees before they are flown on commercial airlines to Australia.
ASIO officers will also fly to the Middle East to ensure appropriate screening. Refugees will have to read an Australian values statement and undergo a cultural orientation before arriving.
The rescue mission will cost at least $700 million over the next four years on top of $44 million in funding that will be provided to aid agencies to help more than 240,000 dislocated refugees survive winter.
Women, children and families facing certain death as a persecuted minority will be given priority over single men because they have been deemed most in need.
The increase, backed by the entire parliament, will see Australia's refugee intake for 2015-16 hit 25,750.
The government's carefully thought out humanitarian policy, which took several days and multiple global meetings, exceeded Labor's proposal of taking 10,000 extra refugees.
Some refugees will be billeted to church groups while others will be provided government housing in metropolitan, urban and rural areas. Most will be placed in Syrian communities to give them the best chance of succeeding in Australia.
NSW is poised to take the most refugees accepting at least 4000, but Mike Baird's office said the Premier was prepared to take more if asked to.
The Sydney suburbs of Auburn, Lidcombe, Fairfield, Punchbowl and Liverpool all have strong Syrian communities. All refugees will have permanent residency and access to the same benefits as Australians.
Cheers could be heard from the government party room yesterday morning when Mr Abbott announced the policy to his MPs.
The decision was made after Immigration Minister Peter Dutton received briefings from UN officials followed by lengthy meetings of Cabinet's national security committee and full Cabinet.
Mr Abbott said the intake would be "one of the largest commitments" in the world and his government would act swiftly, but carefully.
"I'm proud that today our country and our people will be true to our history as a place where those in fear for their life - women, children and families - can rebuild and start again," he said.
"We will move very quickly but everyone who is resettled in Australia will be subject to the usual security, health and character checks.
"It is important we don't bring in anyone from this troubled region who might ultimately be a problem for the Australian community." Mr Abbott said he took four days to reach the decision because it was important the government acted with its head as well as its heart.
He said Australia would not discriminate against refugees: "There's Druze, there's Kurds, there's Turkmen, there's Yazidi, so there are certainly Muslim and non-Muslim persecuted minorities in this part of the world and we are prioritising all of them," he said.
THE SYRIAN REFUGEE INTAKE PLAN HOW IT WILL WORK?
Refugees registered with the UNHCR will be interviewed by Australian government officials. They will have to provide formal identification, undergo national security screening, agree to a health check, provide biometrics and read an Australian values statement before being considered.
HOW WILL THEY GET HERE?
Refugees who pass the screening process will be given a cultural orientation, flown to Australia on a commercial flight and referred to a settlement services provider.
WHERE WILL THEY GO?
Refugees will be dispersed across the nation. The Prime Minister will ask each state and territory leader to indicate how many refugees their region is able to take. The refugees will be placed in existing Syrian communities or in areas where it is likely they will be able to gain work in both cities and regions.
WHERE WILL THEY LIVE?
Settlement services providers will determine where the refugees live. Some will be billeted out to church groups capable of providing accommodation.
Others will go to government housing.
HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?
The federal government has allocated $700 million over the next four years to fund the relocation of the 12,000 refugees. An additional $44 million will also be provided in humanitarian aid.
HOW LONG WILL THEY STAY?
All refugees will automatically be given permanent residency. Australia will be their lifelong home and they will be able to access all services that Australians access.
WHO ARE THEY?
The refugees will be women, children and families from persecuted minorities. Single men are unlikely to receive a spot in Australia because women, children and families have been deemed more in need.
MUST THEY SPEAK ENGLISH?
It will not be a requirement to speak English as some European countries have stipulated.
WILL A PREFERENCE BE GIVEN TO SKILLED MIGRANTS?
Some will be skilled and some will not. Those that are skilled will be placed in areas where they can access work where possible.
HOW WILL THIS IMPACT NSW?
NSW is likely to take the most refugees. On a per capita basis NSW would accept 4000, but the state government is prepared to take more. A portion of that number are likely to be placed in and around Sydney
ARE THERE PLANS TO HELP CITIES LIKE SYDNEY COPE?The state government is looking at potential sites to house refugees and is working with the federal government to determine ideal locations.