Refugee Quota Programme
Find out how New Zealand selects, welcomes, and supports refugees through the Refugee Quota Programme.
Refugees who arrive in New Zealand under the Refugee Quota Programme are granted Permanent Residence status. New Zealand contributes to international humanitarian efforts by helping protect people who are unable to live safely in their home country.
The New Zealand Government reviews the Refugee Quota Programme every 3 years to ensure it aligns with global resettlement needs. The composition of the refugee quota is agreed to annually by the Ministers of Immigration and Foreign Affairs.
How refugees are selected
New Zealand continues to accept 1,500 refugees a year under the Refugee Quota Programme and the Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship (CORS) programme.
Refugee Quota Programme places are allocated as follows:
- 50% to Asia-Pacific
- 20% to Middle East
- 20% to Africa
- 10% to Americas.
These allocations are based on:
- global displacement trends
- United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) data, and
- the capacity of New Zealand to support successful settlement.
Refugees considered for resettlement under the programme must usually be recognised as mandated refugees and referred to New Zealand by UNHCR, following its resettlement guidelines.
Some applicants are exempt. These include nuclear or dependent family members of the principal applicant.
When Immigration New Zealand (INZ) processes and decides these cases, the following factors are considered:
- INZ policy
- credibility
- settlement
- security
- immigration risk, and
- health.
Note
From 3 July 2026, the Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship (CORS) programme is a permanent complementary pathway. This is alongside New Zealand’s Refugee Quota Programme.
CORS places will be introduced gradually. It will start with 50 places in 2026 to June 2027, then 200 places each year after.
Before refugees arrive in New Zealand
Before arriving in New Zealand, refugees are provided with information on working and living in New Zealand. An assessment is completed to identify the needs and services required once refugees arrive at the Te Āhuru Mōwai o Aotearoa (Māngere Refugee Resettlement Centre).
Settlement health assessments are also completed outside of New Zealand before arrival and any issues are followed up by the medical team at the Centre.
Key focus areas for the reception programme are:
- health and mental health assessments, initial treatment and health promotion
- settlement planning, including orientation to working and living in New Zealand and an employment assessment for working age refugees
- education, including English language.
Refugee children are also prepared for their introduction into the New Zealand classroom and national curriculum.
When refugees arrive in New Zealand
Note
From July 2026, eligible refugees aged 16 and over who arrive in New Zealand through the Refugee Quota Programme will be issued a Refugee Travel Document after they arrive in New Zealand. Refugees who do not have a valid passport or travel document will continue to receive an Immigration New Zealand Certificate of Identity before travelling to New Zealand to support their safe travel.
The Refugee Travel Document, issued by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) after arrival, provides a secure and internationally recognised form of identification and can be used to support international travel where permitted.
Certificate of identity or refugee travel document — DIA Passports New Zealand
Refugees who arrive in New Zealand spend their first 5 weeks in New Zealand at Te Āhuru Mōwai o Aotearoa (Māngere Refugee Resettlement Centre).
The Centre is managed by INZ, which works in partnership with other government agencies and non-government organisations (NGOs) to run the 5-week reception programme. The reception programme prepares refugees for their new lives in New Zealand.
Refugees who come through the quota programme receive help for up to 2 years. They take part in a community orientation programme and are supported to find and use services that help them settle.