UNHCR works in collaboration with PMM to identify the most vulnerable cases and to assess their eligibility for resettlement. As of 10 September 2018, PMM pre-identifies cases based on vulnerability and refers them to UNHCR, similar to the procedure already followed for temporary protection beneficiaries (see Temporary Protection: Resettlement). In general, stakeholders have noticed that the criteria and standards of ‘vulnerability’ used now by PMM are different from the ones of UNHCR and NGOs. For instance, LGBTQI+ people or people living with HIV are not considered as vulnerable.[1] The final decisions on resettlement are taken by the receiving countries.
In 2022, due to the great demand, UNHCR expanded its resettlement team, creating two new interview sites in Istanbul and Gaziantep, and is exploring additional complementary options for refugees through labour mobility and educational opportunities. 11,803 refugees were referred for resettlement consideration to 13 countries in 2022 as of 30 September and 5,927 refugees departed to 12 countries. UNHCR Türkiye invested in upscaling resettlement activities resulting in a submission of over 50 per cent of total quota in the first half of 2022. According to PMM statistics, a total of 21,568 Syrians had been transferred to third countries between 2014 and May 2023, mainly to Canada, the US, the United Kingdom and Norway.[2]
[1] Information provided by a stakeholder, May 2023.
[2] UNHCR, ‘Türkiye Fact Sheet’, September 2022, available at: https://bit.ly/3PVwT1h.