The Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship programme model is based on a core partnership between the government (Immigration New Zealand), communities, and an umbrella organisation, HOST Aotearoa New Zealand, which is the driving force for the programme.
For this three-year trial HOST Aotearoa New Zealand is funded under a contract with Immigration New Zealand, to assist refugees in understanding the Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship programme, complete Expressions of Interest and undertake English language assessments.
HOST Aotearoa New Zealand also supports community organisations in applying to become approved sponsors. Once organisations are approved, HOST Aotearoa New Zealand provides coaching and training.
The approved community organisations will provide direct settlement support to refugees for the full two years of their sponsorship programme.
Local community sponsors will provide personal contact and practical advice, helping newcomers to secure rental housing, enrol in education and health services, find jobs and form connections within their new community.
Definitions
Refugee and protection status: Eligible people in New Zealand can apply for refugee and protected-person status. They must show that they fear being seriously harmed or tortured or that they risk inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment if they return to a country.
Refugee Quota Programme: New Zealand is one of around 37 countries that take part in the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) regular refugee resettlement programme.
Refugee Family Support Category: New Zealand offers 600 places each year for eligible refugees resident in New Zealand to sponsor family members to join them.
Tiers for Refugee Family Support Category (Refugee Family Support Resident Visa): Tier one (1) sponsors have no other family in New Zealand. Tier two (2) sponsors have immediate family in New Zealand.
At URL provided, scroll down to 'Refugees', and download 'Refugee and Protection Statistics June 2025' PDF file. Figure.nz converted the PDF into an Excel spreadsheet for data processing purposes.
From the dataset Refugee and Protection Statistics June 2025, this data was extracted:
Sheet: Sheet1
Range: B247:D268
Provided: 60 data points
Dataset originally released on:
July 2025
About this dataset
The dataset is about Refugee and protection claims, Refugee quota and settlement, and Refugee family support category
Purpose of collection
New Zealand has an obligation to protect the refugees that it accepts. It signed the:
1951 United Nations Convention on Refugees
1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees
1984 Convention Against Torture
1966 Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Data is collected to measure the progress on the obligations.