New Zealand resettles approximately 1,500 quota refugees annually — people recognised by the UNHCR as refugees and selected for resettlement from countries of first asylum. In addition, asylum seekers who arrive independently and are recognised as refugees receive protection and services. New Zealand's refugee communities are concentrated in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch, and a growing number of regional towns.
Funders — government, gaming trusts, and philanthropy — support the organisations that help refugees settle, integrate, and rebuild their lives in Aotearoa.
Who comes to New Zealand
New Zealand's quota refugee intake has historically drawn from the Asia Pacific and Africa, including significant numbers from Myanmar, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and various African countries. Family reunification adds to refugee numbers over time. The 2018 government commitment to increase the quota to 1,500 annually represented a significant increase from the previous 750.
The settlement journey
Refugees face multiple and intersecting challenges in settling:
- Language: English language proficiency determines access to employment, education, and services
- Employment: finding meaningful work that matches skills and qualifications is challenging, particularly with overseas qualification recognition barriers
- Housing: access to affordable, appropriate housing is a significant barrier, particularly in Auckland
- Health: physical health needs (including conditions untreated during displacement), mental health (trauma, grief, loss), and oral health
- Education: children's schooling adaptation; adult English language learning; recognition of overseas qualifications
- Social connection: building social networks, combating isolation, maintaining cultural identity
The strength perspective
Refugees bring extraordinary resilience, skills, cultural richness, and community networks. Effective settlement support builds on these strengths — treating refugees as active agents in their own settlement, not passive recipients of services.
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) and Refugee Resettlement
INZ coordinates refugee quota and asylum seeker processes. The Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre provides initial orientation for quota refugees. INZ funds resettlement contracts with community organisations.
Ministry of Social Development (MSD)
MSD funds refugee settlement services through the Foundation Social Housing (FSH) and community initiatives, and contracts with settlement organisations like Red Cross New Zealand and ethnic community organisations.
Ministry of Education
The Ministry funds ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) programmes in schools — support for refugee-background students. Schools with significant refugee populations receive additional ESOL funding.
The Refugee Resettlement Strategy
The government's Refugee Resettlement Strategy sets out goals and approaches for refugee settlement — with a focus on employment, English language, social connection, and health.
Red Cross New Zealand is the primary resettlement service provider for quota refugees in New Zealand, contracted by Immigration New Zealand. Red Cross provides:
- Initial settlement support (housing, furniture, community orientation)
- English language and employment referral
- Family tracing and reunification support
- Asylum seeker case management
Red Cross also undertakes fundraising and has grants programmes for refugee community organisations through its Refugee Integration Fund.
Gaming trusts — Pub Charity, Lion Foundation, Grassroots Trust, and others — are accessible funders for refugee community organisations:
What gaming trusts fund for refugee communities
Application approach
Applications from refugee community organisations should emphasise community participation and social integration — demonstrating how the activity connects refugees to the broader community, reduces isolation, and builds English language skills or employment connections.
Several foundations fund refugee and newcomer work:
Tindall Foundation: significant investment in refugee settlement and integration.
Aotearoa Circle and Migration Foundation: migration and settlement policy.
Foundation North: Auckland refugee community grants.
UNHCR NZ National Partners: foundations that support UNHCR work internationally.
Open Society Foundation: civil society and human rights, sometimes including refugee rights.
Refugee community organisations — led by and for specific refugee communities (Somali, Karen, Afghan, Bhutanese, Syrian, and many others) — are vital settlement resources. They provide:
- Peer support from those who share the resettlement experience
- Cultural connection and community identity
- Navigation of New Zealand systems (health, education, employment, housing)
- Translation and interpretation
- Community advocacy
These organisations are typically small, volunteer-led, and underfunded. Capacity-building grants — for governance training, strategic planning, financial systems — help refugee community organisations become stronger, more sustainable institutions.
Employment and economic inclusion: employment is the most powerful driver of refugee integration — economic security, social connection, and wellbeing all improve with meaningful employment. Grants for employment support, qualification recognition, and entrepreneurship training produce long-term integration benefits.
Mental health and trauma: the trauma of displacement, loss, and sometimes torture or violence creates significant mental health needs. Culturally appropriate, trauma-informed mental health services for refugee communities are chronically underfunded.
Women's economic empowerment: refugee women — particularly those from conservative cultural contexts — often face additional barriers to employment and social participation. Women's-specific employment, English language, and social programmes are high-impact.
Youth identity and education: refugee-background young people navigate complex identity challenges — balancing family cultural expectations with New Zealand peers and norms. Youth support that honours both cultural heritage and New Zealand belonging is crucial.
Community-led approaches: the most effective settlement support is led by refugee communities themselves, not designed for them by outsiders. Funders who support refugee community leadership invest in the most authentic integration.
Tahua's grants management platform supports funders and community organisations working in refugee settlement and integration — with grant tracking, outcome measurement for settlement indicators, multi-language capability, and the relationship tools that help funders invest effectively in welcoming newcomers to Aotearoa.