The Jesuit Refugee Service was established on 14 November 1980 by Pedro Arrupe, then Superior General of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), as an international Catholic organization in order to mobilise the whole Society in the accompaniment, service and defence of the rights of refugees. A director for JRS Asia Pacific was appointed in 1982 and commenced work in Australia from the office of Asian Bureau Australia. When JRS Asia Pacific moved its base to Bangkok in 1985, JRS Australia was initiated by the Australian Jesuits as a new unit of the growing international network of the Society's service to refugees. While JRS Australia sets its own priorities based on local needs and capacities, it calls on the experience, local knowledge and the research and advocacy capacities of the worldwide Jesuit Refugee Service network.

Jesuit Refugee Service Australia is a part of the Australian Jesuits' social apostolate network, through which Jesuits together with their colleagues ‘promote justice (through) direct service and accompaniment of the poor; developing awareness of the demands of justice and of the responsibility to achieve it; and social mobilization for a more just social order'.

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