Policy paper

Named community sponsorship, refugee study and refugee work routes: policy guidance (accessible version)

Published 29 October 2026

Version 1, 29 October 2026

Introduction

Purpose of document

This document sets out the policy basis of the Home Office’s three refugee sponsorship routes: named community sponsorship, refugee study and refugee work. It is intended for organisations and individuals seeking a high-level understanding of these routes. It explains the purpose of the routes, how they operate, the roles and responsibilities of delivery partners and the policy and legal framework that underpins them.

These routes form part of the Government’s wider approach to safe and legal routes refugees. These routes operate separately from and alongside the existing UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), providing complementary pathways alongside Government-led resettlement.

This document should be read alongside other Home Office guidance relating to these routes.

Other relevant guidance:

• Lead sponsor guidance, which sets out the roles and responsibilities of lead sponsors and the requirements for sponsors and sponsorship arrangements

Further guidance will be published in due course.

Publication

Below is information on when this version of the guidance was published:

• version 1
• published on 29 October 2026

Background

In the Restoring Order and Control policy statement, published in November 2025, the Government announced plans to reform refugee resettlement by introducing three new refugee sponsorship routes. These routes enable communities, universities and employers to play a direct role in supporting refugees in need of international protection to come to the UK.

All routes operate through a lead sponsorship model. Lead sponsors are voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations accredited by the Home Office to oversee sponsorship activity, support sponsors and provide assurance that route requirements are being met.

The three routes are:

• named community sponsorship, which enables community groups to identify refugees they wish to sponsor
• refugee study, which enables universities to sponsor refugees to study in the UK, working with specialist VCS organisations to identify and match suitable students
• refugee work, which enables employers to sponsor and offer refugees jobs, working with specialist VCS organisations to identify suitable refugees

The refugee sponsorship routes build on existing resettlement and sponsorship schemes. However, these routes introduce a new framework enabling communities, universities and employers to identify a specific refugee who they wish to sponsor and support to come to the UK.

Any proposed refugee must meet the eligibility requirements of the relevant route and all identity, security and suitability requirements conducted by Home Office caseworkers before they can be considered for admission to the UK.

Policy intention

The new sponsorship routes will give communities, universities and employers a greater role in supporting refugees to come to the UK and rebuild their lives. Evidence from international refugee sponsorship programmes shows that community-led sponsorship supports stronger integration outcomes compared to government-led resettlement, such as refugees entering employment more quickly. Community-led sponsorship can help refugees become self-sufficient and contribute to their local communities sooner, through the tailored, day-to-day support provided by sponsors.

The UK’s named community sponsorship model draws on proven international experience. Canada’s scheme has operated since 1979 and has successfully resettled almost 400,000 refugees. Under the Canadian system, 70% of sponsored refugees find work within a year - 30% higher than those resettled through government schemes.^{[footnote 1]}

As such, refugee sponsorship is a way for local communities, civil society organisations, charities and faith groups to be directly involved in helping refugees settle in the UK. Sponsors provide emotional and practical support to empower refugees to rebuild their lives in safety, and to become self-sufficient members of their new communities. Being a sponsor also benefits the local community through enabling the generosity of local people and creating new bonds between those involved.

The routes support the Government’s wider integration objectives by enabling refugees to access education, employment and community networks from an early stage. They complement wider cross-Government efforts to promote integration, participation and social cohesion, supporting refugees to settle successfully and participate fully in UK society.

The routes are underpinned by the following principles:

• controlled humanitarian protection – providing a safe and legal route for refugees to come to the UK in a controlled and orderly manner through approved sponsorship arrangements
• strong economic and social integration – supporting refugees to access employment, education and community networks from an early stage, helping them become self-sufficient and participate fully in UK society
• reduced cost to taxpayers – a sponsorship-based model that draws on the resources, expertise and support of sponsors and lead sponsors, reducing reliance on publicly funded support
• public support for refugee protection – contributing to confidence in the immigration system by demonstrating the positive contribution that refugees can make to communities, the economy and the higher education sector, supported by structured and accountable sponsorship arrangements
• diverse sponsor and lead sponsor participation – encouraging a broad range of organisations, communities, universities and employers to participate in supporting refugees under the routes

Legal framework

International refugee protection framework and definition

The 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (full text) (“the Refugee Convention”) is the framework that underpins international refugee protection. It, along with the 1967 Protocol, sets out the definition of a refugee, along with the kind of legal protection, other assistance and social rights a refugee is entitled to receive. It also highlights the obligations of refugees towards their host country.

The Convention defines a refugee as someone who ‘owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it.’ This is the definition used by both the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the UK when determining whether somebody is a refugee.

Related external links

Convention and Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, UNHCR UK

Delivery model and geographic scope

Delivery model

The routes operate through a lead sponsorship model, through which the Home Office enables approved UK-based VCS organisations to act as lead sponsors. Under this model, sponsors work through a lead sponsor rather than directly with the Home Office.

The routes rely on partnership working between the Home Office, lead sponsors, sponsors, UNHCR and other delivery partners. Delivery arrangements will vary depending on the route, refugee cohort and country of operation.

Roles and responsibilities

Home Office

The Home Office is responsible for the overall policy, operation and oversight of the refugee sponsorship routes. It sets the policy and operational framework, assesses and accredits lead sponsors, and establishes the standards and requirements that apply to lead sponsors and sponsorship arrangements.

Following determination of refugee status by UNHCR or, for individuals outside UNHCR’s mandate, through an alternative assessment process designated by the Home Office, the Home Office is responsible for assessing whether individuals meet the eligibility requirements of the routes, conducting identity, security and suitability assessments, making decisions on admission to the UK and granting immigration status.

The Home Office also oversees the operation and delivery of the routes, monitors compliance with route requirements and takes action where concerns arise.

Lead sponsors

Lead sponsors play a central role in the delivery of the routes. They coordinate between the Home Office and sponsors, including local community groups, universities and employers.

Lead sponsors support and oversee sponsorship arrangements throughout the sponsorship process. This includes assessing proposed sponsorship arrangements, supporting sponsors to understand and meet their responsibilities and providing ongoing advice and guidance. Through these activities, they help maintain the safety, sustainability and effective delivery of sponsorship arrangements, and contribute to the Home Office’s monitoring and assurance of the routes.

Lead sponsors do not have authority to assess refugee claims, approve applications or grant permission for an individual to enter or remain in the UK.

For further information, see Lead sponsor guidance.

Sponsors

Sponsors are community groups, universities or employers that provide direct support to refugees arriving through the sponsorship routes.

Sponsors play a vital role in helping refugees integrate into their local communities and contribute to life in the UK. They provide the practical and integration support needed to help refugees settle into their local communities, access opportunities and progress towards independence, enabling them to contribute to their communities and wider society. Depending on the route, this may include providing accommodation, financial support, pastoral support, access to education or employment, and assistance to access local services and build local connections.

Sponsors work closely with lead sponsors throughout the sponsorship arrangement.

For further information, see Lead sponsor guidance.

UNHCR

UNHCR is the United Nations agency responsible for protecting refugees and supporting durable solutions for displaced people. Its mandate includes identifying individuals in need of international protection and determining whether they meet the refugee definition set out in the Refugee Convention.

UNHCR works with the Home Office and other partners to support the verification of refugees who may be considered for these routes. While UNHCR may assess refugee status and provide information to the Home Office relevant to an individual’s case, decisions on eligibility for the routes, identity, security and suitability, admission to the UK and immigration status are made by the Home Office.

Alternative protection assessment for Palestine refugees

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is the United Nations agency established to provide assistance and protection to Palestine refugees within its area of operations. Article 1D of the Refugee Convention provides that persons who are receiving protection or assistance from a United Nations agency other than UNHCR are excluded from the Refugee Convention. Accordingly, Palestine refugees within UNRWA’s area of operations are not normally assessed by UNHCR under the Refugee Convention process.

The Home Office will appoint a referral partner to determine the protection status of Palestine refugees outside UNHCR’s mandate. Further details will be published in due course.

Overseas delivery partner

A Home Office overseas delivery partner supports operational delivery of the routes overseas, including health assessments, document handling, travel arrangements and other pre-departure processes required before an individual can travel to the UK.

Local authorities

While sponsors are responsible for providing accommodation and day-to-day integration support, local authorities will also play an important role in supporting the integration of refugees into local communities and delivering key statutory services.

While local authorities will not approve individual sponsorship arrangements, they will be made aware at an early stage of prospective sponsorship arrangements in their area. Further detail will be published in due course.

Geographic scope

The refugee sponsorship routes will be introduced in phases, beginning in a small number of countries before expanding. This will allow delivery arrangements to be established for identifying and assessing eligible refugees, supporting the completion of pre-departure processes and facilitating travel to the UK.

Geographic scope is based primarily on the locations in which the necessary assessment and delivery arrangements are available.

The countries in which the routes operate will be determined by the Home Office in consultation with delivery partners. This will take account of factors in a country including operational capacity, security and safeguarding considerations, access to health assessments and visa application services, and arrangements for travel to the UK.

The Home Office will publish the countries in which the routes operate, together with any country-specific requirements. Sponsors and lead sponsors should check the applicable guidance before identifying or putting forward a proposed beneficiary.

Countries of operation

The routes will not be open to nationals residing in their country of origin. The routes will initially operate in:

• Bangladesh
• India
• Pakistan
• Malaysia
• Egypt
• Uganda
• Kenya

The routes will be open to persons who have sought protection in these countries and are recognised as refugees by the relevant competent authority. For further information see Refugee eligibility.

Refugee eligibility

Who is eligible for the routes

To be eligible an individual needs to be

• in scope and:
• if in scope, have their eligibility for the route assessed.

To be in scope under the routes, an individual must:

• Be outside their country of nationality, or if stateless, their country of former habitual residence

AND

• Have been present in a country from which the relevant route is operating before 1 October 2026.

AND

• Be registered with the relevant authorities or/UNHCR before 1 October 2026. We recognise that registration arrangements differ between countries. Further information will be provided on how this requirement will apply in each country, including where access to registration is limited/not available.

The above criteria does not, by itself, make an individual eligible. Individuals must also meet the applicable refugee or protection requirements, as well as other requirements of the route. Individuals will also need to be able to access the services of the Home Office’s designated delivery partners in that country.

To be eligible under the routes, an individual must:

• be a refugee, who either:

• has been verified by the UNHCR as meeting the definition of a ‘refugee’ under 1951 Refugee Convention; or

• is within UNRWA’s mandated area, is Palestinian and unable to access referral through UNHCR’s established resettlement process, but whose protection needs have been assessed through an alternative process established by the Home Office

• in addition an individual must

• meet any applicable route specific requirements
• be supported by a sponsorship arrangement that meets the requirement of the relevant route
• must satisfy all applicable identity, security and suitability requirements.

They must also satisfy all applicable identity, security and suitability requirements.

Further information on the eligibility requirements is set out below.

Refugee status and protection requirements

Refugees recognised under the 1951 Refugee Convention

Individuals in this category must meet the definition of a “refugee” set out in the Refugee Convention. Refugee status will be determined by the UNHCR.

Palestinian refugees

As Palestinian refugees who fall within the mandate of UNRWA cannot generally access UNHCR refugee status determination processes, the Home Office will work with an alternative delivery partner to assess whether an individual has a protection need. Further detail will be published in due course.

Outside the country of nationality or former habitual residence

To be eligible for the routes, an individual must be outside their country of nationality or, if stateless, their country of former habitual residence.

The routes are intended to provide protection to individuals who have left their country of nationality or former habitual residence and are unable or unwilling to return because of persecution, conflict or other protection concerns.

Individuals who remain within their country of nationality or former habitual residence, including internally displaced persons, are not eligible for the routes.

Presence in a country from which the route is operating

To be eligible for the routes, an individual must be present in a country from which the relevant route is operating. For further information, see Delivery model and geographic scope.

Individuals may need to be present in a participating country and be registered with the UNHCR, or other delivery partner responsible for determining refugee status, by a specified date. Further details will be published in due course.

Being present in a country from which a route operates does not, by itself, make an individual eligible. Individuals must also meet the applicable refugee or protection requirements and any other requirements of the route.

Route-specific eligibility requirements

In addition to the requirements set out above, individuals must meet any route-specific eligibility requirements that apply to the route through which they are being sponsored.

These requirements include:

• refugees sponsored through the study route must have an offer of a place from a participating university or higher education institution
• refugees sponsored through the work route must have an offer of employment from a participating employer.

Sponsorship arrangements

Before an individual can be considered under the routes, the proposed sponsorship arrangement must meet the requirements of the relevant route.

Lead sponsors are responsible for reviewing the information and evidence provided by sponsors and undertaking an assessment of the proposed sponsorship arrangement. Depending on the route, this may include information relating to accommodation, integration support, employment, study, safeguarding or other requirements specified by the Home Office.

Lead sponsors must assess proposed sponsorship arrangements and be satisfied that they appear to meet the requirements of the relevant route before submitting an application to the Home Office. The Home Office will consider the information provided and determine whether the sponsorship arrangement meets the requirements of the route.

A sponsorship arrangement meeting route requirements does not, by itself, make an individual eligible for the routes or guarantee admission to the UK. Individuals must also meet the applicable refugee and route-specific requirements and successfully complete all relevant identity, security and suitability assessments.

For further information, see Lead sponsor guidance.

Identity, security and suitability requirements

Refugees must successfully complete identity verification, security and suitability assessments required by the Home Office before they can be admitted to the UK. Meeting the eligibility requirements for a route does not guarantee admission to the UK, which remains subject to these checks and assessments.

Pre-departure and operational requirements

In addition to meeting the refugee eligibility requirements and any route-specific requirements, refugees must comply with any operational requirements necessary for the safe and effective operation of the routes. This includes biometric enrolment, health assessments and any other pre-departure processes specified by the Home Office.

An individual who does not meet the applicable requirements or successfully complete the required processes will not be eligible for admission to the UK.

Family members

Eligible family members may be included as part of a refugee’s sponsorship arrangement and come to the UK with them. Further details on who will be considered an eligible family member will be published in due course.

Travel and arrival in the UK

Travel to the UK

Once the Home Office has granted a refugee permission to travel to the UK, arrangements will be made to support the refugee’s departure and travel to the UK.

The Home Office funds a delivery partner to provide pre-departure support and arrange travel to the UK, including supporting biometrics enrolment, booking flights, arranging exit permits from the host country and confirming that refugees are fit to travel.

All travel arrangements are subject to successful completion of the relevant eligibility, identity, security and suitability requirements, pre-departure and operational requirements and final approval by the Home Office.

Health assessments

Health assessments will screen for diseases that may prevent travel and will inform whether the sponsorship arrangement is suitable. Further information on health assessment requirements and processes will be published in due course.

Cultural orientation

Refugees will receive pre-departure information and support before travelling to the UK. Sponsors and lead sponsors may provide information and support before travel to help refugees prepare for arrival in the UK. This is intended to help individuals understand what to expect on arrival, prepare for life in the UK and begin engaging with the support available through their sponsorship arrangement. Pre-departure support will be complemented by further information, orientation and integration support following arrival in the UK.

eVisa

Everyone granted permission to come to the UK through the refugee sponsorship routes will receive an eVisa. An eVisa is an online record of a person’s immigration status and the conditions attached to their permission to enter or remain in the UK.

Individuals will be required to complete biometric enrolment, including the provision of fingerprints and a facial image, as part of the application process. Following the grant of permission, individuals will be able to access and view their immigration status through their UKVI account.

An eVisa can be used to demonstrate immigration status, entitlement to work, rent accommodation and access services where required. For further information, see eVisas.

Arrival in the UK

Sponsors and lead sponsors have an important role in preparing for arrival, ensuring that sponsorship arrangements are ready to receive refugees and provide the support required from the point of arrival. Suitable accommodation and support arrangements must already be in place before travel to the UK.

Upon arrival in the UK, refugees will be welcomed through their sponsorship arrangement and supported to travel onwards to their accommodation. Sponsors will be responsible for greeting refugees on arrival and ensuring that they can access the accommodation and support available to them, under the oversight of an accredited lead sponsor.

Initial support is expected to include practical assistance, orientation and support to access relevant services and opportunities, with the nature of support varying according to the route and sponsorship arrangement.

Funding

Sponsors are expected to have access to sufficient funding and resources to provide accommodation and integration support for refugees under the routes and to meet their responsibilities throughout the sponsorship arrangement. For further information on funding requirements, see Lead sponsor guidance.

Leave granted on arrival

Refugees admitted through the refugee sponsorship routes are issued six months’ Leave Outside of the Rules visas prior to departure from the region. These are handed to the Home Office’s delivery partner to support the completion of any necessary exit permit processes and travel arrangements before departure to the UK.

On arrival in the UK, refugees will be granted an initial five-year period of leave, which may be extended where necessary.

Settlement and future immigration status

This route provides a pathway to settlement. Further details will be provided in due course as part of the Government’s response to the Earned Settlement consultation.

Related external links

eVisas: access and use your online immigration status: What an eVisa is - GOV.UK

Life in the UK

Access to work, study and benefits

The routes are intended to support refugees to rebuild their lives, become self-sufficient and contribute to the UK’s communities, economy and higher education sector.

Resettled refugees have an immediate right to work, study and to access welfare benefits, depending on their circumstances and whether they meet the relevant Department for Work and Pensions criteria for the specific benefit for which they are applying. Further guidance on refugee entitlement to NHS services can be found here.

Sponsor and lead sponsor support

Refugees arriving through the routes will receive accommodation and integration support through a sponsorship arrangement overseen by an accredited lead sponsor.

For further information, see Lead sponsor guidance.

Travel

Individuals with refugee status under the 1951 Refugee Convention should no longer use their national passport to travel as it could affect their refugee status. Instead, they can apply for a 1951 UN Convention Travel Document (also known as a Refugee Travel Document). If they do so, they must submit their national passport (if held), which will be retained by the Home Office for as long as the applicant has the Refugee Travel Document. Refugee Travel Documents will normally be valid for travel to all countries (including the country from which the individual was resettled) but will be closed to the country of origin and/or the country from which refuge was sought. Individuals should check whether visas are required for the countries they wish to visit or travel through.

Whether or not refugees are granted a visa, allowed to enter that country and allowed to leave is entirely the decision of the country they wish to visit. If someone who has been granted refugee status obtains a national passport from the national authorities of the country from which they sought refuge and/or travels back to that country, their case will be reviewed to consider whether it is appropriate to revoke their refugee status on the basis that they no longer need international protection. More information on Home Office travel documents can be found on GOV.UK.

Changes in circumstances

Refugees may experience changes in their circumstances after arrival in the UK, including changes to their accommodation, employment, education, family circumstances or support needs. Sponsors and lead sponsors should work with refugees to respond to such changes and ensure that support arrangements remain appropriate.

Where a change in circumstances affects a sponsorship arrangement or a refugee’s ability to continue participating in the route as originally intended, the sponsor should notify the lead sponsor. Lead sponsors are responsible for considering the implications of significant changes, providing advice where appropriate and escalating matters to the Home Office where required.

Changes in circumstances will be considered on a case-by-case basis, taking account of the individual’s circumstances and the requirements of the relevant route.

Withdrawal from sponsorship arrangements

Voluntary withdrawal

Refugees may choose to withdraw from a sponsorship arrangement after arrival in the UK, including by moving to another area, securing alternative accommodation or no longer wishing to receive support through the route.

Where a refugee indicates that they wish to leave a sponsorship arrangement, the sponsor and lead sponsor should discuss the reasons with them and satisfy themselves that the decision is being made voluntarily. Where concerns are identified about the suitability of the sponsorship arrangement or the sponsor’s ability to meet route requirements, these should be considered under the sponsorship breakdown process.
Where a refugee voluntarily withdraws from a sponsorship arrangement, they will normally no longer be entitled to receive accommodation, integration support or other assistance provided through that arrangement. Voluntary withdrawal does not, by itself, create an entitlement to replacement support through local authorities or other public funding arrangements.

Voluntary withdrawal from a sponsorship arrangement does not affect the refugee’s immigration status.

Sponsorship breakdown

Sponsorship breakdown occurs where a sponsor or lead sponsor is no longer able to fulfil its responsibilities under the route, or where a sponsorship arrangement can no longer continue despite reasonable efforts to resolve any issues.

Lead sponsors are expected to work proactively with sponsors and refugees to identify and address issues at an early stage and, wherever possible, prevent sponsorship arrangements from breaking down.

Where sponsorship breakdown occurs, lead sponsors should seek to identify an alternative sponsorship arrangement where possible.

For further information, see Lead sponsor guidance.

Criminality

Our policy towards resettled individuals who commit a serious crime or who lose their refugee status for any other reason is the same as for those granted protection after arrival in the UK. There is guidance on the revocation of refugee status, and restricted leave on GOV.UK.

In the event of criminality, a resettled individual’s refugee status will be reviewed, in accordance with these policies, and revoked if the individual is deemed to be a danger to the community after having been convicted by a final judgment of a particularly serious crime. Cases will be considered individually, taking into account the sentence together with the nature of the crime, the actual harm inflicted and whether most jurisdictions would consider the offence a serious crime.

If the criminality is sufficiently serious and the individual constitutes a danger to the community but the individual cannot be removed from the UK because it would contravene the UK’s obligations under the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), their current leave will be revoked and replaced with a form of limited leave (Discretionary or Restricted Leave). Conditions will be imposed according to the individual’s situation and the nature of their crime.

Individuals who commit serious criminal offences may also lose access to support provided through their sponsorship arrangement where this is considered necessary or appropriate in light of the circumstances of the case.

Dependants will be allowed to retain their status (unless they have themselves been convicted of a particularly serious crime and are judged to be a danger to the community). If the individual is removed to another country, their dependants will be given the option of residing in the UK with the status they have been granted or returning to their country of origin when the individual is deported.

Information sharing and processing personal data

The operation of the refugee sponsorship routes requires information to be shared between the Home Office and delivery partners, including lead sponsors, sponsors, UNHCR and other organisations involved in route delivery.

All organisations must comply with applicable UK data protection legislation, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. Personal data must only be processed where there is a lawful basis for doing so and must be handled securely and proportionately.

Organisations must ensure that appropriate information-sharing arrangements, privacy notices and data protection safeguards are in place before processing personal data as part of the routes.

Related external links

Apply for a Home Office travel document: Overview - GOV.UK

1. Kaida, L., Hou, F., & Stick, M. (2020a). The Long-Term Economic Integration of Resettled Refugees in Canada: A Comparison of Privately Sponsored Refugees and Government-Assisted Refugees. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 46(9), 1687–1708. Prantl, J. (2022). Community Sponsorships for Refugees and Other Forced Migrants: Learning from Outside and Inside the United States. Georgetown Immigration Law Journal, 37(2), 401-435. ↩