Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship programme to become permanent

From 1 July 2026, the Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship (CORS) programme will become a permanent complementary pathway alongside New Zealand’s Refugee Quota Programme.

The programme builds on the successful pilot. It will continue to be delivered through a partnership between:

• Immigration New Zealand (INZ)
• community organisations
• the umbrella organisation (currently HOST International Aotearoa), and
• international partners.

How the programme works

Under the permanent programme, refugees can be:

• referred by an international partner, or
• nominated by approved community organisations.

INZ assesses all applications. This includes checks of identity, credibility, health, and character.

Once approved, refugees travel to New Zealand and are supported to settle directly in communities across the country.

The CORS programme uses a shared responsibility model:

• INZ manages immigration processes, makes visa decisions, and provides overall programme oversight.
• International partners identify and refer refugees, and determine their refugee status.
• The umbrella organisation (currently HOST International Aotearoa) is available to provide support to approved community organisations and the refugees they are sponsoring.
• Approved community organisations (sponsors) provide day-to-day settlement support for up to 2 years.

The government funds core elements of the programme, including:

• immigration processing
• health checks
• the umbrella organisation
• international partners
• international travel, and
• access to public services.

Refugees arriving through CORS can access the same public services as New Zealanders, including health, education, and welfare.

Community sponsors

Community sponsors play a central role in supporting successful settlement. They:

• secure suitable housing before arrival
• cover initial costs such as rent, utilities, and essential household items
• provide orientation and help refugees understand local services
• support enrolment in education, health, and other services
• help refugees find employment and become financially independent, and
• provide ongoing practical and social support, including building community connections.

This community-led approach allows support to be tailored to individual needs and helps refugees integrate more quickly.

Places and quota impacts

CORS places will be introduced gradually. It will start with 50 places in 2026 to June 2027, then 200 places each year after.

As CORS places increase, places in the Refugee Quota Programme will decrease proportionately.

The Refugee Quota Programme will continue to prioritise refugees with the highest protection needs, as identified by UNHCR. CORS will support refugees who are well placed to benefit from a community-led settlement model.

People accepted through CORS are still refugees in need of humanitarian protection. They may face similar risks and vulnerabilities to those entering through the quota programme.

Any year that CORS places are unfilled, those places will revert to the Refugee Quota Programme. This enables New Zealand to maintain its overall resettlement intake of 1,500 per year.

Who can apply

Community organisations (sponsors)

Organisations must:

• be a legal entity approved by Immigration New Zealand
• have experience working with refugees or other vulnerable people
• have the resources and capability to support refugees, and
• be able to arrange housing and support refugees into work and community life.

Refugee applicants

Applicants must:

• be referred by the international partner or nominated by an approved sponsor
• be residing in one of the regions INZ resettles refugees from
• meet standard immigration requirements (health, character, and security checks), and
• not be eligible under another refugee family sponsorship category.

Principal applicants must:

• have basic English
• be a recognised refugee
• have at least 3 years’ work experience or a qualification requiring at least 2 years’ post-secondary study, and
• be aged 18 to 45.

Pathways for entry

CORS operates through 2 sponsorship pathways, and the government retains full control over final selection in both. All refugees must meet all eligibility criteria and pass full immigration and security checks.

Nominated (sponsor-led) pathway

Approved New Zealand-based sponsors can nominate a refugee that meets the eligibility criteria.

Matched pathway

Candidates are identified through an international referral partner, who meet the eligibility criteria and are matched with approved sponsors.