Sign up to safe haven visas, MP tells Vic

A Victorian federal MP has called on his state to sign up to the new safe haven visa program that allows regional communities to host refugees.

So far NSW is the only state to join the scheme that provides refugees with five-year visas to find work or study.

"Our country people have jobs for refugees, our country communities stand by them and we should make sure that Victoria signs off on that," Nationals MP Andrew Broad told reporters in Canberra on Monday.

A spokeswoman for the immigration department said it was yet to issue any safe haven visas but was processing some applications.