Resettlement programmes make it possible for refugees to enter a third country legally and safely. There are, however, only few available places annually. Each year, many more people wish to be resettled than there are places available. There is no entitlement or right to resettlement.
Each country determines the number of resettlement places and the countries from which people will be admitted independently. Each country has fixed, strict selection procedure to determine who will be given a place in its resettlement programme. UNHCR examines cases according to the country criteria and then suggests particularly vulnerable persons for consideration. The UNHCR office in Trinidad and Tobago is not responsible for the selection of persons suitable for resettlement. The authorities of each country have the final say regarding who will be admitted to its resettlement programme.
Countries may also have alternative pathways for admission that are different to resettlement. These are safe and regulated avenues that give refugees the chance to legally live and work in another country where they will have access to services and rights, including international protection. Asylum-seekers and refugees who fulfil the criteria stablished by the countries may qualify for these pathways. Each country determines the selection procedure and criteria for their alternative pathways. The UNHCR office in Trinidad and Tobago is not responsible for the selection of persons suitable for these alternative pathways.