Australia will boost its refugee and humanitarian intake by 12,000 permanent places and provide more than $40 million for United Nations efforts to deal with the Syrian crisis.
It's also understood the green light has been given to RAAF bombers entering Syrian airspace to hit Islamic State targets.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott is expected to announce the cabinet decision, endorsed by the party room, in Canberra later on Wednesday.
Cabinet minister Christopher Pyne told reporters Australia was doing much more than Germany, the UK and France.
Mr Pyne said the government wanted to get the process right and make a considered and methodical decision.
The intake would cover a range of persecuted ethnic and religious minorities.
"We have a colour-blind policy in terms of humanitarian support and that will not be changing," Mr Pyne said in Canberra on Wednesday.
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