37 OECD countries and Brazil issued nearly 215,000 permits to individuals displaced by conflict and crisis in 2022, an increase of about 38% from 2021, according to the Safe Passage for Refugees report released on Monday.
About 156,000 licenses were issued that year, while the 2020 figure is about 127,000.
The report focuses on entry permits provided by OECD countries and Brazil to individuals from Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Syria and Venezuela.
Overall, Europe accounts for 56% of all licenses and the Americas 39%. Germany and Canada provide the largest number of entry permits for work, study and family reunification to refugees from seven countries.
family gathering
It is worth noting that family reunification permits account for more than 50% of all permits issued in 2022, and work and study permits also show steady growth.
Ruven Menikdiwela, UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, emphasized the importance of these complementary recognitions in the context of increasing displacement of people globally.
“Since most of the world’s refugees are hosted in developing regions, these forms of Supplementary access to third countries helps better protect themprovide them with opportunities to contribute to new communities, and Ease pressure on host countries that are overwhelmed”.
She also stressed the importance of family reunification permits, noting that, in addition to being a human right, it is encouraging that family reunification remains the most relied upon third country solution.
safe and legal way
Senior UNHCR officials also praised the efforts of governments and partners to ensure refugees have safe and legal pathways in line with the agency’s 2030 road map.
The roadmap envisages scaling up third country solutions to reach 2.1 million supplementary enrollments by 2030, 35% of which will be achieved through progress made in 2022.
It also highlights the importance of improving data collection to inform policy decisions and enhance the integration of refugees into regular migration flows.
It urges states and stakeholders to continue working together to ensure that refugees have access to safe and sustainable pathways to rebuild their lives.
