Community sponsorship programme to be permanent

The Government has decided the Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship (CORS) programme will become a permanent part of New Zealand’s refugee resettlement system, Associate Minister of Immigration Casey Costello announced today.

“The trial of the CORS programme shows it can deliver strong outcomes for refugees in employment, housing, education, and community connection,” Ms Costello says.

“Making it permanent means we can build on the skills, partnerships and knowledge developed through the pilot. This is a positive step and provides a programme that we know works.”

The permanent CORS programme will begin 1 July, with organisations able to apply to become approved community sponsors from that date. The introduction of the programme will be scaled, with 50 places available in the first year. From 1 July 2027, 200 people per year will be able to settle here through CORS.

“This is the first time New Zealand will have an ongoing complementary refugee resettlement pathway, with CORS sitting alongside our Refugee Quota Programme,” Ms Costello says.

“Having a complementary pathway for settlement is supported by the UNHCR and reflects approaches used internationally, including in Australia, Canada and the UK.

“This is about combining strong government support with community-led approaches that help people settle well and build independence.”

Under CORS, the Government funds core services such as immigration processing, health checks, and international travel, while approved community organisations provide settlement support, including housing, access to services, and support into employment and community life. The programme also includes an international referral partner.

“The strength of the programme lies in the human connection - communities providing practical support, a sense of belonging, and helping people find their feet from day one,” Ms Costello says.

“We’ve seen families welcomed into communities, supported into housing and employment, and quickly becoming part of everyday life in New Zealand.

“That is the key to a successful refugee programme – it isn’t just about providing refuge, it is about ensuring people can settle well and feel that they have a new home.”

CORS will be delivered alongside New Zealand’s Refugee Quota Programme, maintaining an overall number of refugee resettlement places available at 1,500. Places will be progressively allocated to the community sponsorship pathway as it scales up, with the Quota Programme adjusting accordingly. This allows CORS to be funded from within existing baselines.

The Refugee Quota Programme will remain New Zealand’s primary humanitarian pathway, and any allocated CORS places that are not taken will return to the Quota Programme. 

“In the current environment, this is the best way to ensure a programme that we know works well can continue into the future,” Ms Costello says.

“The Government remains firmly committed to an overall resettlement intake of 1,500 people per year. New Zealand currently takes the third largest number of UNHCR mandated refugees internationally, behind Canada and Australia.” ...