Syria-Iraq refugee intake slow to start

Just 124 of the 12,000 Syrian and Iraqi refugees to be resettled in Australia under a federal government scheme have arrived in the country.

At least 90 of those now have a new home in NSW.

Federal Social Services Minister Christian Porter said he was aware the humanitarian intake had been slow.

"The level of rigour that we undertake in respect to security checks, health checks, background checks ... is a slow process but it is a particularly awkward process on the ground given the conditions, the real world conditions that we're experiencing," he said in Sydney on Monday.

"It has been slow, but we don't make apologies for that.

"To have the level of rigour that we think is absolutely necessary here, this is as quick as we can possibly do things at the moment."

Last year, the federal government committed to taking in 12,000 Syrian refugees, the majority of whom will come to NSW.

Australian government officials are working with the United Nations high commissioner for refugees at camps in Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon on the selection process.

Mr Porter said the emergency humanitarian intake would increase over the next few months.