In plans to cut resettlement costs of refugees, the Coalition government is reportedly considering a proposal to fast track visa applications of refugees if they agree to pay AU$19,000 and their family in Australia promise to cover health and welfare costs.

Refugee advocates support the proposals which they say will help advantage refugees who have relatives in Australia with financial means.

"It definitely does advantage refugees who have relatives in Australia with financial means over people who otherwise would have been resettled on the basis of humanitarian need," Refugee Council of Australia chief Paul Power told WAToday but added that the measures, which are based on a pilot established by the former Labor government, would effectively shift the cost burden onto desperate families in Australia and prioritise people with financial means over those in greater need.

Under the pilot, which was established in 2013 a refugee is charged AU$19,124 for the first time and AU$2,680 for subsequent applicants. Mr Power estimates that the application fees plus the cost of airfares, medical checks and payments to community organisations that help facilitate resettlement could potentially cost $45,000 to bring a family of five to Australia

Almost 670 people - mostly from Syria, Iraq, Eritrea, Afghanistan and Somalia have been granted a visa under the pilot which raked in an estimated $2 million for the government.

The paper also said that relatives and friends of the refugees might also have to provide assuarances for some health and Centrelink costs in the first few years of settlement. It could involve the payment of a bank deposit. Such guarantees under other types of visas require up to AU$10,000 for a 10-year period for one adult and AU$4,000 for addition

The Charity, St Vincent De Paul has reportedly expressed concern over the pilot, saying it should be used to increase Australia's overall refugee intake, "instead of being a means of government abrogating responsibility to refugees it has pledged to protect".