The Home Secretary has reopened the UK Resettlement Scheme to new referrals with immediate effect; first arrivals are expected before the end of the year, and around 1 in 4 referrals will be Afghan women and girls and Palestinian refugees.
Source: UK Resettlement Scheme reopens for new referrals
The Home Secretary has announced that the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS) is open again for new referrals. According to the announcement, referrals reopen immediately, and the first arrivals are expected before the end of the year.
Around 1 in 4 referrals will be for Afghan women and girls and Palestinian refugees. The scheme will operate in partnership with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), which identify and refer refugees through established processes. The announcement says the scheme works in partnership with local authorities.
The announcement also sets out the timetable for 3 new routes, which were announced in the Restoring Order and Control Statement in November 2025 and will be underpinned by community sponsorship:
- Community sponsorship route: in October, charities and non-profits can apply to become sponsors, allowing communities to host refugees. First arrivals are expected in autumn 2027.
- Student sponsorship route: in October, charities and non-profits can apply to become sponsors, allowing universities to host refugee students. First arrivals are expected in autumn 2027.
- Work sponsorship route: sponsor applications open in spring 2027, allowing companies to host refugees. First arrivals follow later that year.
All sponsors will provide accommodation, integration support and help finding work.
The government expects total arrivals across UK Resettlement and the 3 new routes to number in the hundreds at first, growing into the low thousands as levels of illegal migration fall. A cap will be set each year.
People who arrive on these routes will be placed on a 5 year path to permanent settlement.
What this means for applicants
The announcement says UNHCR and IRAP identify and refer refugees through established processes. Charities and non-profits that want to sponsor under the community or student routes can apply in October. Companies interested in the work sponsorship route can apply from spring 2027. The source gives no further application details.
Sources
- UK Resettlement Scheme reopens for new referrals, GOV.UK, 28 September 2026