Australia and El Salvador established diplomatic relations on 5 December 1983. At the time of establishing diplomatic relations, El Salvador was in the mist of a civil war. Taking a humanitarian approach, Australia received a first group of 75 Salvadoran refugees which arrived in Australia in 1983. As the civil war progressed in El Salvador, between 1983 and 1986 Australia accepted 10,000 Salvadorans under the Special Humanitarian Program.