Third country resettlement

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Third country resettlement or refugee resettlement is, according to the UNHCR, one of the three durable solutions for refugees who fled from their country of origin into a second country in search of protection. Conditions for resettlement are that there are neither prospects for voluntary return to the country of origin nor for integration or even naturalization in the country of asylum. Refugees are selected according to the degree of risk and vulnerability whilst residing in the country of asylum. Those who are selected for resettlement are assisted to travel into a safer country, the third country, usually by airplane. Because governments tend to accept only a certain number of refugees, i.e. quotas or contingents, for resettlement each year they are called quota refugees or contingent refugees. The refugee status determination is done by the third country that accepted the refugees before resettlement. Thus they have refugee status on arrival in the country as well as indefinite leave to remain or equivalent forms of permanent residency in the country of arrival and do not need to apply for asylum.

"Resettlement involves the selection and transfer of refugees from a State in which they have sought protection to a third State which has agreed to admit them – as refugees – with permanent residence status. The status provided ensures protection against refoulement and provides a resettled refugee and his/her family or dependants with access to rights similar to those enjoyed by nationals. Resettlement also carries with it the opportunity to eventually become a naturalized citizen of the resettlement country."[1]

UNHCR referrals[edit]

The UNHCR established a number of criteria that needs to be met in order for resettlement being offered to refugees:[2]

  • Legal and physical protection needs
  • Survivors of violence and torture
  • Medical needs
  • Women-at-risk
  • Family reunification
  • Children and adolescents
  • Elderly refugees
  • Lack of local integration and voluntary return prospects

Only about 1% of the over 10.5 million refugees the UNHCR typically deals with are submitted or referred for resettlement. In 2007, 98,999 refugees were referred by the UNHCR for consideration for resettlement and more than 121,000 in 2008. UNHCR referred 33,512 refugees from Iraq, 30,388 from Burma/Myanmar and 23,516 from Bhutan in 2008.[3] This was the highest number of referrals for 15 years. Around 108,000 refugees were considered for the opportunity to be resettled in 2010, with the primary countries of origin being Iraq, Myanmar, and Bhutan.[4]

Selection and process[edit]

In order to assess the above criteria for refugees referrals from NGOs and UNHCR internal recommendations are made, as well as assessments during home visits, interviews of the refugees and third persons for verification. Fair access to resettlement consideration is imperative to the UNHCR and if not accepted the refugee can appeal. If, according to the assessment, the refugee fulfils the criteria the UNHCR will complete a Refugee Resettlement Form (RRF).[5] The UNHCR then determines the most suitable country for resettlement submission as well as the most appropriate submission procedure. The refugees are asked for preferred countries of resettlement but cannot actually chose their country of resettlement as the integration prospects in the new country are not part of the UNHCRs considerations. What is taken into account when selecting resettlement countries are family links or connections, presence of a supportive community, language and culture, the availability of services for specific medical or settlement needs as well as the timeline for decision and travel, etc. When they found a suitable third country they suggest the refugee to this third country, by forwarding the RRF, medical and psycho-social assessments and Best Interests Determination.[6] Each third country has different or additional criteria for selecting refugees for resettlement and different processes of Refugee Status Determination (RSD). Resettlement countries usually make a decision after the applicant is interviewed by an immigration officer or, in specific situations, on a dossier basis. If the country accepts the case the refugee will be asked for his or her consent and if they agree medical examinations will follow, and ideally also a number of cultural orientation sessions to learn basic information about the new country. The travel to the new country is arranged and facilitated by the IOM, which includes escorting by IOM staff and can include extra medical escorts by health professionals. On arrival in the new country refugees should ideally be offered intensive support with integration for a number of months.

Resettlement programmes[edit]

Every year 80.000 refugees are worldwide resettled. There are overall 29 countries which run specific resettlement programmes in co-operation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The largest programmes are run by the United States, Canada and Australia and they take around 90% of the resettled refugees. On the other end of the spectrum is Japan, which recognized only 305 persons as refugees between 1981 and 2002[7] and only accepted six in 2013.[8] Some countries, which don't have their own programme resettle refugees on an ad-hoc basis, e.g. Austria took 1,500 Syrian refugees between 2013 bis 2015.

Resettlement in the United States[edit]

Main articles: Office of Refugee Resettlement and United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP)

The United States helped resettle roughly 2 million refugees between 1945 and 1979, when their refugee resettlement program was restructured. They now make use of 11 "Voluntary Agencies" (VOLAGS), which are non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that assist the government in the resettlement process.[9] These organizations assist the refugees with the day-to-day needs of the large transition into a completely new culture. Usually, they are not funded by the government, but instead rely on their own resources and volunteers. Most of them have local offices, and caseworkers that provide individualized aid to each refugee's situation. They do rely on the sponsorship of individuals or groups, such as faith-based congregations or local organizations. The largest of the VOLAGS is the Migration and Refugee Services of the U.S. Catholic Conference.[9] Others include Church World Service, Episcopal Migration Ministries, the Ethiopian Community Development Council, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, the International Rescue Committee, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, and World Relief.[10] There are a number of advantages to the strategy of using agencies other than the government to directly assist in resettlement. First of all, it has been estimated that for a federal or state bureaucracy to resettle refugees instead of the VOLAGS would double the overall cost. These agencies are often able to procure large quantities of donations and, more importantly, volunteers. According to one study, when the fact that resettlement workers often have to work nights, weekends, and overtime in order to meet the demands of the large cultural transition of new refugees is taken into account, the use of volunteers reduces the overall cost down to roughly a quarter.[11] VOLAGS are also more flexible and responsive than the government since they are smaller and rely on their own funds.

Resettlement in the EU[edit]

In September 2009, the European Commission unveiled plans for a new Joint EU Resettlement Programme. The scheme would involve EU member states deciding together each year which refugees should be given priority. Member states would receive €4,000 from the European Refugee Fund per resettled refugee.[12] However, only twelve EU member states have resettlement programmes and provide around 5,000 resettlement places every year which make up only 8% of the worldwide places. Each of them have their own and separate scheme. A European Resettlement Programme was initiated in March 2012 in order to increase the number of resettlement places within the EU. For each resettled refugee the member state receives between €4,000 and €6,000.

Bulgarian refugee children from Gorno Brodi after the Second Balkan War resettled in Pestera.

The European Resettlement Network, including Amnesty International, CCME, ECRE, ICMC, IOM and Save Me, aims to increase resettlement places in Europe to 20,000 by the year 2020. However these 20,000 include the resettlement of refugee who are already within the EU, such as in Malta or Greece.

United Kingdom[edit]

Main article: Gateway Protection Programme

The Gateway Protection Programme is operated by the British government in partnership with the UNHCR and co-funded by the European Union (EU). Following a proposal in 2001, the legal basis was established by the 'Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002' and the programme itself launched in March 2004.[13] with an initial annual quota of 500, which rose to 750 in the financial year 2008/09.[14] Since its inception, the programme has enjoyed broad support from the UK's main political parties.

Germany[edit]

In December 2011 Germany enacted their own resettlement programme.[15] Between 2012 and 2014, as a pilot project, 300 particularly vulnerable refugees were accepted each year. Towards the end of 2013, as the pilot proved successful, it was decided to continue the programme permanently and to increase the number to 500 refugees per year from 2015. In 2012 refugees came from Tunisia - they fled there from different other African countries - as well as Iraqis who fled to Turkey. In 2013 they were taken all from Turkey: Iraqis, Syrians and Iranians. And in 2014 it were refugees who fled Iraq, Somalia, Sri Lanka, China or Afghanistan as well as stateless refugees from Syria and Indonesia. Resettled refugees, unlike in most other countries, do not get indefinite leave to remain in Germany: stay is usually limited to 5 years. Also, unlike in most other countries, their rights are closer to those of asylum seekers than to German citizens.[16]

Other[edit]

Other examples of controlled refugee movements that may be considered similar to resettlement (but not facilitated by the UNHCR) were Operation Moses, Operation On Wings of Eagles, Operation Ezra and Nehemiah, Operation Joshua, Operation Yachin and Operation Solomon, in which Jewish refugees were resettled from Sudan, Marocco, Iraq, Yemen and Ethiopia to Israel.

Criticism[edit]

Some people are said to only flee their country and become refugees only in order to be resettled into a third country. Also some crimes, such as shootings or rape in refugee camps were pretended in order to increase risk and vulnerability and thus the chances to be resettled.[17]

Resettlement arrivals[edit]

Resettlement is a complex process and the mental health of children and adults can be affected by the difficulties of getting used to the new country.

Number of resettled refugees and countries of arrival between 2014 and 2008
Country 2014 [18] 2013 [19] 2012 [20] 2011 [21] 2010 [22] 2009 [23] 2008 [24]
Argentina 21 - 8 28 22 30 42
Australia 11,570 13,169 5,937 9,226 8,516 11,080 11,006
Austria 388 - - - - - -
Belgium 34 100 - 29 - 47 -
Brazil 36 62 39 23 21 33 19
Canada 12,277 12,173 9,624 12,929 12,098 12,457 10,804
Chile - - 3 23 6 - 161
Czech Republic 5 1 - - 48 17 -
Denmark 344 515 476 516 495 433 552
Finland 1,089 674 731 584 541 724 749
France 110 89 62 116 407 - 37
Germany 280 293 307 63 469 2,069 -
Hungary - 1 1 - - - -
Iceland - - 9 - 6 - 31
Ireland 96 76 39 45 20 192 101
Japan 23 18 - 18 27 - -
Liechtenstein 5 - 1 - - - -
Luxembourg 28 - - - - 28 -
Netherlands 791 311 429 538 431 369 693
New Zealand 737 840 781 497 631 727 741
Nicaragua - - - - - 3 -
Norway 1,286 948 1,228 1,273 1,097 1,391 741
Paraguay - - - 22 13 - -
Philippines 49 19 15 13 - - -
Portugal 14 6 27 30 33 - -
Romania 40 - - - - - -
Spain - - 80 - - - -
Sweden 1,971 1,902 1,873 1,895 1,786 1,936 2,209
Switzerland 152 - - - - - -
United Kingdom 787 966 1,039 454 715 955 722
United States 73,011 66,249 66,289 51,458 71,362 79,937 60,192
Uruguay 53 14 9 4 17 14 -

Resettlement departures[edit]

In terms of resettlement departures, in 2008, 65,548 refugees were resettled in 26 countries, up from 49,868 in 2007.[3] The largest number of UNHCR-assisted departures were from Thailand (16,807), Nepal (8,165), Syria (7,153), Jordan (6,704) and Malaysia (5,865).[3] Note that these are the countries that refugees were resettled from, not their countries of origin.

Departures for third country resettlement between 2014 and 2010
Country of origin Resettled from 2014[18] 2013[19] 2012[20] 2011[21] 2010[25]
Total UNHCR assisted Total UNHCR assisted Total UNHCR assisted Total UNHCR assisted Total UNHCR assisted
Afghanistan Azerbaijan 132 132
Afghanistan India 144 108 81 59 89 73 79 63
Afghanistan Indonesia 429 429 654 654 149 149 154 154 63 63
Afghanistan Iran 1,255 1,255 1,900 1,900 1,427 1,427 480 480 394 394
Afghanistan Malaysia 57 51 149 148
Afghanistan Pakistan 876 876 990 990 336 336 191 191 152 152
Afghanistan Russia 135 135 149 149 92 92 204 204
Afghanistan Syria 64 64
Afghanistan Tajikistan 58 58
Afghanistan Turkey 290 290 344 344 248 248 105 105 168 168
Afghanistan Uzbekistan 68 68 190 190
Bhutan Nepal 8,395 8,395 10,665 10,665 16,674 16,674 18,067 18,067 14,809 14,809
Burundi South Africa 55 55
Burundi Tanzania 208 208 99 99 97 97 50 50 588 588
Cambodia Thailand 54 54
CAR Cameroon 171 171 150 150 112 106 68 67
CAR Chad 145 145 306 306 141 141
China Thailand 73 73
Colombia Costa Rica 50 50
Colombia Ecuador 959 959 1,045 1,045 562 562 379 379 378 378
Congo DRC 85 85 55 55
Congo Gabon 92 92 58 58
DRC Burundi 544 544 365 365 161 161 53 53 148 148
DRC Cameroon 92 92
DRC Congo 63 63
DRC Ethiopia 116 116 119 119 62 62
DRC Kenya 560 560 308 308 192 192 234 234 179 179
DRC Malawi 220 220 390 390 179 179 195 195 188 188
DRC Mozambique 105 105 218 218 129 114 82 76
DRC Namibia 140 140 78 78
DRC Nigeria 111 111 109 109
DRC Rwanda 2,569 2,569 922 922 797 797 726 726 643 643
DRC South Africa 161 161 101 101 101 101 52 52
DRC Tanzania 211 211 422 422 586 586 183 183 1,996 1,996
DRC Uganda 1,447 1,447 898 898 289 289 113 113 376 376
DRC Zambia 393 393 224 224 177 177 168 159 280 280
DRC Zimbabwe 145 145 214 214 522 522 144 144 152 152
Eritrea Djibouti 125 125 170 162
Eritrea Egypt 133 133 178 170 116 116 75 25 136 57
Eritrea Ethiopia 1,121 1,121 663 663 1,049 1,049 1,343 1,343 2,260 2,260
Eritrea Israel 65 65
Eritrea Kenya 57 57
Eritrea Malta 166 166 137 137 145 145 179 179 148 148
Eritrea Sudan 825 825 582 582 435 435 875 875 586 215
Eritrea Tunisia 72 72 440 440 200 200
Eritrea Yemen 181 181 97 97
Ethiopia Djibouti 91 91 50 50 59 59
Ethiopia Egypt 82 82 183 176 77 77 50 10
Ethiopia Kenya 480 480 469 469 806 806 906 906 606 606
Ethiopia Somalia 56 56 173 173
Ethiopia Sudan 57 57 145 145 231 21
Ethiopia Tunisia 64 64 189 189
Iran Indonesia 105 105 86 86
Iran Turkey 2,343 2,343 2,377 2,377 1,925 1,925 1,815 1,815 1,210 1,210
Iraq Egypt 213 213 296 287 306 306 172 96 467 292
Iraq Indonesia 73 73 109 109
Iraq Jordan 1,602 1,602 3,000 3,000 3,225 3,225 965 965 3,444 3,444
Iraq Kuwait 68 68 58 58
Iraq Lebanon 1,250 1,250 2,231 2,231 2,776 2,776 765 765 1,843 1,843
Iraq Malaysia 52 50
Iraq Syria 1,795 1,795 3,960 3,960 3,397 3,397 4,455 4,455 6,865 6,865
Iraq Tunisia 72 72 163 163
Iraq Turkey 5,803 5,803 4,252 4,252 3,565 3,565 2,337 2,337 3,564 3,564
Iraq UAE 192 192 208 208 67 67 109 109
Laos Philippines 140 140 55 55
Laos Thailand 135 135 375 375
Liberia Sierra Leone 55 55 104 104
Myanmar Bangladesh 211 211
Myanmar India 453 346 510 404 163 149 437 391 566 487
Myanmar Malaysia 10,673 10,562 8,123 8,072 10,308 10,308 8,274 8,274 7,888 7,888
Myanmar Sri Lanka 53 53
Myanmar Thailand 6,582 6,582 8,208 8,208 6,845 6,845 9,214 9,214 10,823 10,823
Pakistan Nepal 69 69
Pakistan Sri Lanka 110 110 125 125 52 52 58 58
Pakistan Thailand 119 119 203 203 171 171
Palestinian Iraq 93 93 60 60 669 669
Palestinian Malaysia 57 57
Palestinian Thailand 87 87
Palestinian Turkey 61 61
Rwanda Congo 58 58
Rwanda Zambia 68 68
Somalia Botswana 104 104 124 124
Somalia Djibouti 243 243 305 305 505 505 120 120 81 81
Somalia Egypt 224 224 426 401 282 282 113 74 242 148
Somalia Eritrea 356 356 484 484 258 258 241 241 406 406
Somalia Ethiopia 3,076 3.076 1,782 1,782 1,502 1,502 1,175 1,175 688 688
Somalia India 65 63
Somalia Indonesia 63 63
Somalia Jordan 52 52 69 69 88 88
Somalia Kenya 3,562 3.562 2,612 2,612 1,442 1,442 2,102 2,102 2,776 2,776
Somalia Malaysia 128 120 123 99
Somalia Malta 373 373 240 240 242 242 131 131 257 257
Somalia Pakistan 69 69 80 80
Somalia South Africa 848 848 629 629 380 380 95 95
Somalia Syria 121 121 54 54 158 158 197 197
Somalia Thailand 79 79 50 50
Somalia Tunisia 356 356 548 548 104 104
Somalia Turkey 128 128 153 153 124 124 73 73 252 252
Somalia Uganda 712 712 1,202 1,202 927 927 251 251 152 152
Somalia Yemen 133 133 224 224 174 174 297 297
South Sudan Kenya 92 92 88 88
Sri Lanka Indonesia 136 136 78 78 57 57
Sri Lanka Thailand 119 119 80 80 107 107 85 85
Sudan Chad 87 87
Sudan Egypt 588 588 1,414 1,397 701 701 115 61 184 146
Sudan Ethiopia 162 162 65 65
Sudan Ghana 79 79 54 54 90 90
Sudan Jordan 79 79 115 115 120 120
Sudan Kenya 82 82 61 61 102 102 213 213 103 103
Sudan Lebanon 75 75 76 76
Sudan Tunisia 289 289 546 546 61 61
Syria Egypt 153 153
Syria Jordan 1,554 1,554 184 184
Syria Lebanon 4,903 4,903 978 978 62 62
Syria Turkey 282 282
Togo Benin 52 52
Uzbekistan Kyrgyzstan 125 125 126 126
Uzbekistan Russia 57 57
Various Tanzania 80 80
Vietnam Cambodia 59 59
Vietnam Thailand 91 91

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ http://www.unhcr.org/46f7c0ee2.pdf
  2. ^ http://www.unhcr.org/protection/resettlement/558c015e9/resettlement-criteria.html
  3. ^ a b c "Resettlement: A new beginning in a third country". UNHCR. Retrieved 2009-07-19. 
  4. ^ The UN Refugee Agency, "Resettlement," http://www.unhcr.org/pages/4a16b1676.html.
  5. ^ https://cms.emergency.unhcr.org/documents/11982/44343/RRF+User+Guide+for+ProGres+Users/d3684aa0-33ba-4c4d-8b4a-ef92da26cf15
  6. ^ http://www.unhcr.org/protection/resettlement/558c015e9/resettlement-criteria.html
  7. ^ "Written statement submitted by Japan Fellowship of Reconciliation". Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Archived 27 August 2013 at the Wayback Machine.
  8. ^ Osaki, Tomohiro (20 March 2014). "Only six asylum seekers accepted by Japan in 2013". Japan Times. Retrieved 19 July 2014. 
  9. ^ a b Julia Vadala Taft, David S. North, David A. Ford, "Refugee Resettlement in the U.S.: Time For a New Focus", (Washington: New TransCentury Foundation, 1979).
  10. ^ "2007 Report to Congress," Office of Refugee Resettlement, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Administration for Children and Families Office of Refugee Resettlement, pages C-1 – C-10.
  11. ^ Robert G. Wright, "Voluntary Agencies and the Resettlement of Refugees," from International Migration Review Vol. 15, No. ½, Refugees Today (Spring – Summer, 1981), (New York: The Center for Migration Studies of New York), 172.
  12. ^ "EU plans to admit more refugees". BBC News. 2009-09-02. Retrieved 2009-09-02. 
  13. ^ "Understanding Resettlement to the UK: A Guide to the Gateway Protection Programme". Refugee Council on behalf of the Resettlement Inter-Agency Partnership. June 2004. Retrieved 2009-07-19. 
  14. ^ Evans, Olga; Murray, Rosemary (February 2009). "The Gateway Protection Programme: An evaluation" (PDF). Home Office Research Report 12. 
  15. ^ http://www.bundesrat.de/IMK/DE/termine/to-beschluesse/11-12-09/Beschluesse.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=2
  16. ^ translation from the German Wikipedia page: 'Resettlement'
  17. ^ Bram J. Jansen, 2008, Between vulnerability and assertiveness: Negotiating resettlement in Kakuma refugee camp, Kenya, African Affairs (vol 107)
  18. ^ a b http://www.unhcr.org/statisticalyearbook/2014-annex-tables.zip
  19. ^ a b http://www.unhcr.org/static/statistical_yearbook/2013/annex_tables.zip
  20. ^ a b http://www.unhcr.org/static/statistical_yearbook/2012/2012_Statistical_Yearbook_annex_tables_v1.zip
  21. ^ a b http://www.unhcr.org/static/statistical_yearbook/2011/2011_Statistical_Yearbook_annex_tables_v1.zip
  22. ^ http://www.unhcr.org/static/statistical_yearbook/2010/2011-SYB10-annex-tables.zip
  23. ^ http://www.unhcr.org/static/statistical_yearbook/2009/2009-Statistical-Yearbook-Annex-Tables.zip
  24. ^ http://www.unhcr.org/static/statistical_yearbook/2008/08-TPOC-TB_v5_external_PW.zip
  25. ^ http://www.unhcr.org/static/statistical_yearbook/2010/2011-SYB10-annex-tables.zip
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