The latest Projected Global Resettlement Needs report from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that approximately 2.4 million refugees will require resettlement in 2027. These individuals are in this situation because they are at risk in their current countries and cannot safely return home.
While this figure represents a 6% decrease compared to 2026 projections, UNHCR emphasized that this reduction stems from complex realities on the ground, not from overall improvements in conditions.
Complex Realities
Political changes in Syria since late 2024 have created opportunities for some refugees to voluntarily return home, despite ongoing instability.
However, the situation for Afghan refugees in Iran and Pakistan is different, with observed decreases partially attributed to returns occurring under challenging and unfavorable conditions.
Afghans continue to constitute the largest population needing resettlement, followed by refugees from South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. Many of these groups face severe protection risks and are far from durable solutions.
Regional needs are highest in Eastern and Southern Africa, followed by Asia and the Pacific, and Western and Central Africa.
A Precarious Existence
UNHCR has warned that resettlement opportunities are diminishing at a time when humanitarian needs are high and millions of refugees continue to face uncertainty.
Approximately 37,000 refugees were resettled through UNHCR-supported programs in 2025. This number is a sharp decline from over 116,000 the previous year and represents only a small fraction of those in need.
This shortfall moves the international community further away from the target of 130,000 resettlement places by 2027.
Jackie Keegan, UNHCR’s Chief of Durable Solutions and Field Protection Support Service, stated that this gap is due to “a combination of policy changes in receiving countries leading to pauses in admissions, more restrictive criteria, and processing delays.”
UNHCR stressed the importance of expanding resettlement to protect vulnerable refugees, alleviate pressure on host countries, and provide durable solutions for families unable to return home safely.
Shared Responsibility
Countries hosting the largest refugee populations continue to call for greater international responsibility-sharing as pressure mounts on local systems.
Low and middle-income countries host nearly 68% of the world’s refugees, placing a significant burden on public services and resources despite efforts to support displaced communities.
Keegan stated, “Expanding resettlement is achievable and urgent. Increasing quotas, involving more countries, and accelerating processing will ensure this life-saving tool reaches those most in need.”
A Call to Action
Marking the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention this year, UNHCR urged governments to recommit to refugee protection and expand pathways to durable solutions.
The agency declared, “Resettlement is not charity, but a durable solution that helps break the cycle of displacement for generations to come.”
UNHCR added that resettled refugees often contribute economically and socially to their new communities, while also continuing to support relatives in their countries of origin and asylum.
