Section 4.15. Resettlement and humanitarian admissions

Resettlement involves the selection and transfer of refugees from a country in which they have sought protection to a third country which has agreed to admit them as refugees with permanent residence status.ixii ^,1266 In the EU context, resettlement programmes are voluntary and persons in need of protection are identified as eligible by UNHCR.

Resettlement and complementary pathways for admission are an expression of international solidarity, involving several national and international stakeholders. EU resettlement schemes are based on national pledges corresponding to the number of third-country nationals that Member States commit to admit. They aim to manage migration based on predictable timelines and ensure common grounds for eligibility, while carrying out rigorous security checks.

After scaling back on resettlement activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, countries began to gradually reactivate programmes in 2021 and 2022. While new developments were not identified in this field, countries continued efforts to fulfil their commitments. This required adjusting priorities and programmes to the new challenges during the year, such as the continued crisis in Afghanistan and the mass arrival of displaced persons from Ukraine.

The role of civil society organisations, private companies and faith groups was reinforced with new agreements as they play an important role in the reception of resettled refugees and the selection and referral process. To measure their impact, EU+ countries and civil society organisations undertook evaluations and monitored programmes to identify lessons learned and good practices.

icon for resumption of resettlement programmes

4.15.1. Pledges for resettlement and humanitarian admissions