Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship programme

The programme is delivered through a partnership between:

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

How the programme works

CORS uses a shared responsibility model to support refugee resettlement.

• INZ manages immigration processes, makes visa decisions, and provides programme oversight.
• HOST International Aotearoa (the umbrella organisation) supports sponsors and the refugees they are sponsoring.
• International partners support refugee identification, referral, and status determination.
• Sponsors provide direct settlement support for up to 2 years.

Refugees can be referred through:

• an international partner, or
• nominated by an approved community organisation.  

INZ assesses all applications, including identity, credibility, health, and character checks.

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

Programme benefits

The CORS programme enables communities to take an active role in refugee resettlement. It supports strong settlement outcomes and helps refugees rebuild their lives as part of New Zealand communities.

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

Programme scale

The programme will be introduced gradually:

• 50 places in the first year (from 1 July 2026)
• 200 places each year (from 1 July 2027).

CORS operates alongside the Refugee Quota Programme. New Zealand maintains a total annual refugee intake of 1,500 places.

Any CORS places that are not filled will be used for refugees referred through the Refugee Quota Programme.