Eritrea gained independence in 1991 and many Eritreans left after independence was gained due to the Eritrean–Ethiopian War and to escape the government of Isaias Afwerki. But between 1983 and 1993, a few hundred Eritreans arrived in Australia as refugees due to the Eritrean War of Independence, they were given special condition under the Australia's Humanitarian Program which allowed an average of 100 Eritreans to migrate for the first three years of the program. But before 1983 only a few Eritrean arrived in Australia as refugees. Many arrivals before 1993 were young men whose educations had been interrupted by the war of independence. Many of the refugees settled in Victoria within the suburbs of Springvale and Maribyrnong and mostly worked in factories.