Canada refugee progress outpaces Australia

Canada has flown in more than 20,000 refugees from Syria, while Australia has only resettled 26 so far, but Immigration Minister Peter Dutton is unapologetic.

Mr Dutton defended the pace of resettling people from Syria under Australia's special intake of 12,000, saying security checks could not be rushed.

"We are not going to compromise in any case our national security," Mr Dutton told 2GB Radio from Washington DC.

Mr Dutton told reporters in Washington that biometric screening, enhanced security checks and database intelligence checks with countries such as the US, Canada and the UK are underway to ensure the bona fides of people.

"We want to extend a hand of welcome to those people... who are in desperate need of a ... new life," he said.

Canada's progress was a matter for that country, he said.

Refugee Council of Australia chief executive Paul Power said the government was dragging its feet while the rest of the world acted on their promises to resettle Syrian and Iraqi refugees.

He said there were many organisations desperate to help with resettlement.

"It is a shame for all concerned that the Australian resettlement program is so bogged down in bureaucratic delays, when the governments of Canada and New Zealand have proven that it is possible to move much more swiftly," he said in a statement.