1 FINDING SOLUTIONS for SYRIAN REFUGEES Resettlement And

27 November 2014 FINDING SOLUTIONS FOR SYRIAN REFUGEES Resettlement and Other Forms of Admission of Syrian Refugees Country Total confirmed pledges (persons) received since 2013 Argentina humanitarian visa programme Australia 5,600 resettlement and Special Humanitarian Programme1 Austria 1,500 humanitarian admission Belarus 20 resettlement Belgium 150 resettlement Brazil open-ended humanitarian visa programme2 200 resettlement Canada 1,100 private sponsorship Denmark 140 resettlement Finland 500 resettlement France 500 humanitarian admission/resettlement3 20,000 humanitarian admission Germany 10,000 individual sponsorship4 Hungary 30 resettlement Ireland 310 resettlement Liechtenstein 25 resettlement Luxembourg 60 resettlement Netherlands 250 resettlement New Zealand 100 resettlement Norway 1,000 resettlement 23 resettlement Portugal 70 emergency scholarships for higher education Spain 130 resettlement Sweden 1,200 resettlement Switzerland 500 resettlement5 United States of America open-ended resettlement Uruguay 120 resettlement TOTAL6 43,528 + additional number to the United States of America 1 1,114 granted until 30 June 2014 and at least 4,500 over the next three years until 30 June 2017. 2 Brazil has launched a humanitarian visa programme for individuals affected by the Syria crisis. Under this programme, Brazil has so far issued 4,200 humanitarian visas. Individuals admitted to Brazil under this programme have the right to apply for refugee status. To date 1,245 applications, which were launched by individuals admitted to Brazil under the humanitarian visa programme, have been approved by the National Committee for Refugees (CONARE). 3 In addition, since January 2013, France has provided 1,142 asylum visas for Syrians, which enable them to travel to France for the purpose of applying for asylum. 4 Fifteen federal states in Germany have launched programmes for Syrian nationals with relatives in Germany. Approximately 10,000 visas have been issued under this scheme to date. 5 Under a pilot project started in 2013, Switzerland is resettling 500 refugees over three years. This quota is for Syrian refugees and a small number of non-Syrian refugees who are residing in the Syrian Arab Republic. In addition, Switzerland initiated a temporary extended family reunification programme for Syrian refugees from September to November 2013. Under this programme, 8,200 applications were received, and nearly 4,000 visas have been issued to date. 6 In addition, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has created the Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme for Syrian refugees, and Ireland has launched the immigration-based Syrian Humanitarian Admission Programme. 1 27 November 2014 “Providing solutions in the form of resettlement or relocation to safe third countries is a critical and often life-saving intervention for refugees having urgent protection needs and compelling vulnerabilities. Such solutions form an important component of the protection strategy for Syrian refugees. These interventions, in addition to providing solutions for vulnerable individuals and families, are also an expression of solidarity and burden sharing with countries in the region currently hosting more than two million Syrian refugees.” - Strategic Overview, 2014 Syria Regional Response Plan, United Nations Overview response. There may be others who will be unable to return home in safety and dignity in As the conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic the foreseeable future. deepens and the violence worsens, UNHCR expects that growing numbers of civilians will Therefore, at the Informal Consultative continue to seek safety and assistance across Meeting as a follow-up to the high-level international borders. Likewise, as the segment of the Executive Committee on number of displaced people grows, so does solidarity and burden-sharing with States the strain on the capacities of communities in hosting Syrian refugees, on 21 February 2014, the region. UNHCR has encouraged the UNHCR invited States to consider multi- international community to share the burden annual commitments towards an expanded with States hosting Syrian refugees in the goal of 100,000 additional places for Syrian region by offering opportunities for refugees on resettlement or other forms of resettlement or other forms of admission for admission from 2015 to 2016. At least half of Syrian refugees. These interventions are these places should be allocated to vulnerable critical for the most vulnerable refugees who refugees referred by UNHCR. are in urgent need of safety and protection. What are UNHCR’s resettlement and In September 2013, UNHCR called upon States humanitarian admission goals? to admit 30,000 Syrian refugees through resettlement, humanitarian admission, or UNHCR is proposing that States admit on other programmes from 2013 to 2014, with a resettlement, humanitarian admission, or focus on protecting the most vulnerable. other programmes 30,000 Syrian refugees During the high-level segment of the Executive from 2013 to 2014, and an additional 100,000 Committee on solidarity and burden-sharing Syrian refugees from 2015 to 2016, with a with States hosting Syrian refugees, held in focus on protecting the most vulnerable. October 2013, it was agreed that the crisis has gone far beyond requiring only humanitarian States are encouraged to offer places for assistance. At that meeting, Member States Syrian refugees in addition to their current reaffirmed their support for the host States in resettlement quotas to ensure that the region, and many announced special resettlement opportunities also continue to quotas for resettlement or other forms of be available for refugees from the rest of the admission for Syrian refugees. world. In light of the growing needs of the Syrian The total pledges and places made available refugee population, however, the goal of for Syrian refugees since 2013 stands at more 30,000 by 2014 is only the first benchmark. It than 43,500. An unprecedented majority of is anticipated that the number of Syrian these pledges comes from European States. refugees who will need resettlement or other The United States of America also has pledged forms of admission will continue to grow. to consider a significant number of Syrian There are many refugees with acute refugees for resettlement. In addition, more protection needs who require an urgent than 9,500 visas have been so far granted by 2 27 November 2014 States under other forms of admission. This reunification programs. States may also make brings the total places made available to date commitments to expand their capacity to to more than 52,000 plus a significant number receive Syrian refugees under labour mobility to the United States of America. and private investor schemes, student scholarships, or other programmes. How many refugees has UNHCR submitted for resettlement or humanitarian admission? Reaching the expanded goal for Syrian refugees requires consideration of new and Since 2013, UNHCR has submitted more innovative approaches. As part of the than 22,500 Syrian refugees for emergency response, UNHCR encourages the resettlement or humanitarian admission international community to consider an array consideration. Nearly 7,000 refugees of solutions that can be mobilized in addition submitted by UNHCR have departed, and resettlement programs. States are therefore encouraged to make pledges for resettlement 99 per cent of the cases so far considered and other forms of admission. by resettlement and humanitarian admission States have been accepted. From which States does UNHCR carry out UNHCR has put in place the capacity to resettlement and humanitarian admission? upscale submissions in 2015 and 2016. The programmes are primarily implemented What is meant by resettlement and other in States hosting the largest numbers of Syrian forms of admission? refugees, including the Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, the Lebanon, and Turkey. Resettlement involves the selection and transfer of refugees from a State in which Who can benefit from resettlement and they have sought protection to a third State humanitarian admission? that has agreed to admit them as refugees with permanent residence. The status UNHCR is working closely with resettlement provided ensures protection against and humanitarian admission States to refoulement and provides a resettled refugee prioritise the most vulnerable, including and his/her family or dependants with access women and girls at risk, survivors of violence to civil, political, economic, social, and cultural or torture, refugees with medical needs or rights similar to those enjoyed by nationals. disabilities, refugees at risk due to their sexual Resettlement also provides the opportunity to orientation or gender identity, vulnerable eventually become a naturalized citizen of the older refugees, and refugees in need of family resettlement country. reunification. Resettlement plays a vital role for refugees Vulnerable refugees are identified through whose life, liberty, safety, health, or other registration data and community outreach by human rights are at risk. Resettlement is one UNHCR and its partners. UNHCR is enhancing of the durable solutions UNHCR is mandated its capacity to identify vulnerable refugees to implement in cooperation with States. and to streamline procedures for referral. As the programmes continue to grow, additional Other forms of admission may include personnel, equipment, and resources are humanitarian admission programs, individual needed. sponsorship, medical evacuation,

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