Refugee Program

Refugee Program staff work closely with the two New Hampshire resettlement agencies, Ascentria Care Alliance and the International Institute of New Hampshire, as well as other area partners to support refugee integration.

These nonprofit resettlement agencies receive US Department of State, Bureau of Population and Migration funding to resettle a predetermined number of refugees at the start of each fiscal year based on their capacity to provide services for new arrivals and the number of refugees coming into the U.S. Additional money is provided to states by the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to provide a range of Refugee Support Services designed to support integration and help refugees achieve self-sufficiency. 

The term "refugee" is used here to include all Office of Refugee Resettlement eligible populations.

Who are the ORR eligible populations?

The populations below have been designated by ORR as eligible to reside in the U.S. legally, utilize the services of the resettlement agencies and other similar service providers for up to five years, and receive public benefits. This list is always subject to change.

Eligible populations:

• Refugees
• Asylees
• Humanitarian Parolees: Cuban and Haitian entrants, Afghan and Ukranian evacuees
  Note: Afghan evacuees who arrived after 10/01/23 and Ukrainian evacuees who arrived after 10/01/24 are not eligible for public benefits, unless that have one of the other statuses listed here.
• Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders
• Amerasians
• Victims of Trafficking
• Other groups designated by the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement

Refugee Support services include:

• Case Management
  Resettlement agencies facilitate and coordinate a variety of services including housing, healthcare, referrals and general support services to help refugees transition smoothly into their communities.
   
• Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) and Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA) 
  Funds are designed to assist refugees during their 12-month, initial resettlement period. All refugees are eligible for Refugee Medical Assistance for their first twelve months in the US. To be eligible for RCA, a refugee must be ineligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and other cash support programs.
   
• English as a Second Language
  Refugee Program partners and other public and private organizations throughout New Hampshire provide English Language Training to refugees. Classes are designed to help refugees achieve competencies in key linguistic areas, preparing them to meet their everyday language needs at work and in community life.
   
• Employment Services 
  Employment Services include an assessment of vocational skills, job development, job placement and follow up services with local employers. The hard work of refugee employment counselors has made New Hampshire a model state for refugee resettlement. Refugees often find full-time employment within the first few months of arrival.
   
• Refugee Health Promotion 
  The Refugee Health Promotion program aims to provide healthcare navigation and support and to increase health literacy. Services include assistance with scheduling and coordinating health appointments, an expanded orientation on the U.S. healthcare system, health education, wellness groups and refugee healthcare provider education and training.
   
• School Impact
  The School Impact program provides school related services to students and their families, from birth through age 18, including assistance with school enrollment, parent orientations to the American school system, and academic support.
   
• Services for Older Refugees 
  Older Refugees are often isolated from the mainstream community. The goal of the Services for Older Refugees program is to help older refugees access services available to mainstream older citizens. Contractors work with senior centers to develop culturally appropriate activities and improve cultural competence. Contractors also provide individualized case management to older refugees to resolve barriers to well-being, such as health access, transportation and housing issues. The project assists older refugees prepare for and achieve citizenship.

Refugee Facts

Who are Refugees?

Refugees are people who have been forced to flee their home countries because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution because of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. Persecution could be physical violence, harassment and wrongful arrest, or threats to their lives. They take with them only what they can carry, only what they have time to pack. Sometimes all they have left are their dreams, their hopes and the will to survive.

Since the early-1980s more than 7,500 refugees have made New Hampshire their home. Refugees have greatly contributed to our state and local communities. Through their hard work, they have strengthened our economy, and their presence has enriched the cultural diversity of New Hampshire.

Refugees come to New Hampshire from more than 30 nations and represent a diverse group of ethnic minorities. For the most part, refugees adjust well to New Hampshire life. They frequently find employment within the first few months of arrival and actively participate in their respective communities. Refugees are eligible to start the naturalization process within five years after arrival.

How Can You Help?

The most valuable way to help a refugee family in your community is to be a friend. Your welcome and friendship can go a long way in helping our newest Granite Staters feel at home.

Invite some refugees to your class or to a community meeting to share their experiences. Listen to what they went through before coming to New Hampshire. Find out what their lives were like before they became refugees and what they dream of today.

Contact the refugee resettlement agency in your area if you would like to make a donation or help in the resettlement efforts of a refugee family.

Know who the refugees are in your community.

New Model of Resettlement: Welcome Corps

Building off the model introduced in the Uniting for Ukraine program, the Welcome Corps is a new resettlement model launched by the U.S. Department of the State in January 2023.The program provides an opportunity for private sponsor groups (consisting of U.S. citizens or permanent residents) to welcome refugees to the United States through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). Sponsors provide core services similar to those provided by resettlement agencies through the Reception & Placement (R&P) Program, including: (1) securing and preparing initial housing; (2) greeting refugees at the airport; (3) enrolling children in school; (4) and helping adults to find employment. In both cases, refugees must meet the eligibility and admissibility criteria in order to be approved. There are two ways to sponsor refugees through Welcome Corps. Applicants can apply to be matched with a refugee or refugee family that has already been approved for resettlement (someone they do not know), or they can apply on behalf of someone they know and refer them to be considered for resettlement by USRAP. There are core minimum requirements that need to be met in order to become a sponsor. Further information can be found at Welcome Corps.

The U.S State Department launched two related programs: Welcome Corps on Campus and Welcome Corps at Work.

Welcome Corps on Campus provides a pathway to permanent legal status for refugee students. Participating U.S. higher education institutions enroll refugee students in degree programs and campus sponsor groups commit to supporting their resettlement through private sponsorship. Additional information can be found at Welcome Refugee Students on Your Campus- Welcome Corps.

Welcome Corps at Work matches qualified refugees with U.S. employers to provide them with concrete job offers. Participating refugees can then be admitted to the United States where they will be welcomed by a local sponsor group. Additional information about all three Welcome Corps programs, including Frequently Asked Questions, can be found on the Welcome Corps website.