The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (“UNHCR”) Refugee Quota is a formal annual quota established by the New Zealand government for resettling particular refugees.

In July 2020, the annual quota was increased to 1,500. The quota wasn’t met for 2022 because of the global impact of COVID-19, but Immigration New Zealand is intending to meet the quota for 2023.

If you’re resettled under the quota, you’ll be granted a Permanent Resident Visa when you arrive in New Zealand. You’ll therefore be entitled to live, work and study here indefinitely.

This quota scheme is different from the scheme in the Immigration Act for refugee status claims. Under the quota scheme, a refugee is accepted before they arrive in New Zealand. Also, there’s no quota for people claiming refugee status – those claims are established on their merits with no limit on how many claims Immigration New Zealand can recognise each year.

For you to be eligible, UNHCR and Immigration New Zealand must both recognise you as a refugee. You will have to come within the New Zealand government’s regional and global priorities, although there are exceptions for emergencies and family reunification. You must also be otherwise admissible under New Zealand law – for example, you may be excluded if you have a criminal record or are thought to be a security threat (see: “Accessing the immigration system: Who can apply for a visa and who can’t”).

Immigration New Zealand will usually only consider cases that have been referred by the UNHCR. You must approach the UN High Commissioner for Refugees before you apply to Immigration New Zealand. Go to www.help.unhcr.org/newzealand for more information, or you could email aulca@unhcr.org or call (+61) 2 6281 9100.

Immigration New Zealand will decide whether you qualify for the quota scheme according to its established policies and guidelines. In some cases, they will consult with other government agencies, such as the Ministry of Health. Immigration New Zealand’s practice is that a decision as to whether the person is eligible requires agreement between two Immigration Officers. It takes roughly six to eight weeks for Immigration New Zealand to process the submission and make a decision.

There is no right of review or appeal if Immigration New Zealand turns someone down for the UNHCR Refugee Quota. However, they may reconsider if the UNHCR provides additional information and a reason that justifies reconsidering the case.