UNHCR Washington

What is Resettlement?

 
UNHCR not only protects and assists refugees, but also seeks solutions to their plight. The three durable solutions are voluntary repatriation, local integration, and resettlement. UNHCR helps refugees voluntarily repatriate to their homeland if conditions warrant, or helps them to integrate in their countries of asylum. However, there are situations in which resettlement to a third country is the only safe and viable durable solution for refugees. Of the 11.4 million refugees in the world, only a small fraction of that number (about one percent) is referred by UNHCR for resettlement. 

Resettlement under the auspices of UNHCR has a dual role. While it serves as a tool to ensure the protection of refugees, it is also one of the three durable solutions. It also addresses the special needs of refugees which cannot be met adequately in the country of asylum.


UNHCR Resettlement Overview

In 2008, UNHCR made submissions of more than 120,800 refugees for resettlement consideration by States, the highest number of the past 15 years and 22 per cent above the 2007 level (98,999). By nationality, the main beneficiaries of UNHCR-facilitated resettlement programs were refugees from Iraq (33,512), Myanmar (30,388), and Bhutan (23,516). In total, these three nationalities made up three-quarters of all submissions.

In 2008, 65,548 refugees departed to 26 countries of resettlement. This was an increase of 31 per cent from 49,868 refugees in 2007. The largest number of refugees resettled with UNHCR assistance departed from Thailand (16,807) followed by Nepal (8,165), Syria (7,153), Jordan (6,704) and Malaysia (5,865). These five UNHCR offices together accounted for 7 out of every 10 resettlement departures assisted by the organization in 2008.

The graph below shows UNHCR departures by region between 2006 and 2008.

 

 

Ten governments currently accept about 99 per cent of the refugees who are annually resettled in new countries. These countries include Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Finding other new states willing to accept vulnerable refugees and strengthening recently introduced programs are a UNHCR priority.  More recent programs have begun in countries like Chile, Argentina, Germany, Brazil, Ireland, Iceland and France. 

The information addressed in this website mainly references the United States Resettlement Program. For information on Resettlement Programs in other countries, please consult the UNHCR office in that country.

For more information or to contact our Resettlement unit:

UNHCR Washington
Attn: Resettlement Unit
1775 K St., NW
Suite 300
Washington, DC 20006
Tel:  202-296-5191
Fax: 202-296-5660
Email: USAWAINQ@unhcr.org