People cannot be expected to live in a state of upheaval for years on end, without the chance of going home or the hope of building a future where they are.
Durable solutions for refugees are an essential part of international protection. However, the rapid growth in the number of people of concern to UNHCR continues to outpace the international community’s capacity to provide sustainable solutions for them. Millions of people have had to rely on humanitarian assistance for years – sometimes even for generations – as traditional solutions (voluntary repatriation, local integration and resettlement) remain unavailable for the majority of refugees
Resettlement, the relocation of refugees from a country of asylum to a country that has agreed to admit and grant them permanent settlement, helps ensure the protection of those whose lives may be in danger or who have specific needs that cannot be addressed in the country where they have sought protection. Countries’ offer of resettlement places is a tangible expression of responsibility-sharing with those States hosting the vast majority of the world’s refugees.
Resettlement is a life-changing experience. But only a small number of States take part in UNHCR’s resettlement programme. In 2019, a total of 26 countries submitted 107,800 refugees for resettlement, of which nearly 64,000 were with UNHCR’s assistance. The total number of refugees resettled was less than 1% of global recognized refugee population.
Given the limited reach of resettlement, alternative forms of admission are increasingly being used to provide solutions for refugees. These complementary pathways include: humanitarian admission; humanitarian visas; private sponsorship; scholarships for students; expanded opportunities for family reunification; medical evacuation; and labour mobility schemes with protection safeguards.