Asylum seeker

A person seeking refuge. Once refuge is granted, the person is officially referred to as a refugee and enjoys refugee status, which carries certain rights and obligations according to the legislation of the receiving country

Convention refugee

A former asylum seeker who is granted refugee status by a State on the basis of that country's interpretation of the UNHCR Refugee Convention's definition of a refugee

CCR

Canadian Council of Refugees

DIAC

Department of Immigration and Citizenship - the current Australian government department responsible for immigration

DIMA

The Department of Immigration and Affairs - the former Australian government department responsible for immigration

DIS

Danish Immigration Service

ECBOs

Ethnic community-based organisations

EU

European Union

Gateway Programme

The name of the UK quota programme

HPC

Humanitarian-protected Persons Abroad Classes - a UNHCR category

IHSS

Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy in Australia

IMDi

Directorate of Integration and Diversity - a Directorate of the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration

IOM

International Organisation for Migration, established in 1951 as an intergovernmental organisation to resettle European displaced persons, refugees and migrants. One-hundred-and-ten states are members; a further 30 states, intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations have observer status.

INS

Immigration and Naturalization Service - the United States government department responsible for immigration

Mandate refugees

Refugees who fall within the mandate of UNHCR, whether recognised as refugees by states or by UNHCR

OECD

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

ORR

Office of Refugee Resettlement in the United States

Quota refugees

People the UNHCR has mandated as refugees overseas. These people are selected for resettlement under annual Refugee Quota Programmes offered by 17 countries, including New Zealand

RCOs

Refugee community organisations

Refoulement

To expel or return (refouler) a refugee to the frontiers of territories where his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion

SGP

Settlement Grants Programme - an Australian funding programme

SHP

Special Humanitarian Programme (Australia)

SPOs

Service provider organisations

Ten (or Twenty) or More Plan

A UNHCR programme under which countries agree to accept 10 or more (or 20 or more) refugees with special medical needs, and their families

UDI

Directorate of Immigration in Norway

UHMs

Unaccompanied humanitarian minors

UNHCR

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees