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, LGBTI people are not considered as vulnerable.[1] The final decisions on resettlement are taken by the receiving countries.
All resettlement from Türkiye was suspended in early 2020, including German and Türkiye’s bilateral agreement on the readmission of refugees, due to the Corona Virus. Travel restrictions meant departure for resettlement was postponed. The COVID-19 situation significantly affected the processing for resettlement; however remote interviewing measures were set in place in five locations across Türkiye, in cooperation with DGMM, allowing interviews, which were suspended from March to June to gradually resume. The pandemic also affected resettlement departures because of the global pause of international flights between March and September. As of the end of October 2020, UNHCR provided over 5,633 resettlement submissions (4,625 Syrians and 1,008 refugees of other nationalities) to 18 countries; and 3,382 refugees (2,602 Syrian and 780 of other nationalities) departed for resettlement to 14 countries.[2] NGOs reported that due to the economic crisis, the number of calls regarding resettlement increased enormously, meaning potentially that the pandemic had affected people’s wish to live in Türkiye.[3]
In 2021 despite the challenges of the pandemic, there were many submissions and departures for resettlement. UNHCR submitted 12,270 files for resettlement in 2021 and 7,400 individuals departed from Türkiye through resettlement procedures. 76% of these were Syrian, 12% Afghan and 12% from other nationalities.[4] It is expected that this will increase in 2022.[5] According to PMM statistics, a total of 19,189 Syrians had been transferred to third countries between 2014 and June 2022, mainly to Canada, the US, the UK and Norway.[6]
[1] Information provided by a lawyer from the İzmir Bar Association, February 2020.
[2] UNHCR Türkiye, Operational Highlights 2020, March 2021, available at: https://bit.ly/3esx9AE.
[3] Information from a stakeholder, March 2021.
[4] UNHCR Türkiye: 2021 Operational Highlights, available at: https://bit.ly/3yuZMIK.
[5] Information provided by a stakeholder, May 2021.
[6] PMM, Temporary protection, available at: https://bit.ly/3wKyP0K.