Changes to the Community Organised Refugee Sponsorship Programme w/ CAPRS Acting Director, Dr Ritesh Shah: 22th July, 2026

New Zealand’s refugee system is undergoing significant changes, particularly considering those that would be bought by the Immigration (Enhanced Risk Management) Amendment Bill that is currently being brought through Parliament. However, more recently, the government announced that it would be making permanent a Community Organised Refugee Sponsorship Programme that had been on an extensive trial period for the last few years. But rather than being made complementary to our existing refugee quota, it would be nested in the 1500 refugees New Zealand takes each year. To learn more about the implications of this policy, I spoke to the acting director of the Centre for Asia Pacific Refugee Studies, Dr Ritesh Shah. The Centre for Asia Pacific Refugee Studies have further policy briefs and responses to recent changes that you can find on their website, just here .