Expanding Solutions for Refugees

Complementary pathways of admission to Europe

This policy-focused paper first explores the major question of the underlying motivations for pursuing complementary pathways to protection in Europe and for optimising their implementation: what is their purpose and added value? It considers the ways in which complementary pathways offer useful tools of refugee protection from various perspectives, alongside resettlement, and to Europe in particular.

The paper then turns to its main focus, drawing out the common features of, and main distinctions between, the three complementary pathways: humanitarian admission programmes; private or community-based sponsorship and higher education opportunities for refugees.

Finally, based on this research, recommendations are put forward for expanding complementary pathways generally.