Countries That Accepted Bhutanese Refugees

Between 2007 and 2023, eight countries participated in the third-country resettlement of Bhutanese refugees from camps in Nepal, collectively accepting over 113,000 individuals in what became the largest refugee resettlement program in Asia's history. The United States received the overwhelming majority — more than 90,000 refugees — followed by Canada (approximately 6,500), Australia (approximately 5,500), New Zealand (approximately 1,000), and smaller numbers accepted by Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, and the United Kingdom. The program transformed the Bhutanese refugee population from a concentrated camp-dwelling community into a global diaspora spanning three continents.^[1]

The resettlement program was initiated after fifteen rounds of bilateral negotiations between Bhutan and Nepal failed to achieve repatriation. By the mid-2000s, the UNHCR and the international community concluded that third-country resettlement was the most viable durable solution for the protracted refugee situation. The United States' 2006 offer to accept up to 60,000 refugees — later expanded significantly — catalyzed the multi-country effort.^[2]

United States

The United States accepted more than 90,000 Bhutanese refugees, making it by far the largest receiving country and the program's anchor. The first Bhutanese refugees arrived in the United States in early 2008 through the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), managed by the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) at the Department of State. Refugees were resettled across the country through a network of nine domestic resettlement agencies, including the International Rescue Committee (IRC), Church World Service, and the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service.^[2]

Bhutanese refugees were resettled in communities across more than forty states. Major concentrations formed in cities including Columbus (Ohio), Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania), Harrisburg (Pennsylvania), Atlanta (Georgia), Dallas (Texas), Phoenix (Arizona), Syracuse (New York), Akron (Ohio), Burlington (Vermont), and Portland (Oregon). The choice of resettlement locations was determined by a combination of factors: the presence of existing refugee communities, affordable housing, employment opportunities, and the capacity of local resettlement agency offices.^[3]

The US resettlement program provided initial assistance including temporary housing, basic furnishings, food, English language training, employment services, and cultural orientation. Refugees were eligible for Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) and Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA) for up to eight months, after which they were expected to achieve economic self-sufficiency. The transition was difficult for many, particularly elderly refugees with limited English proficiency and those with health conditions. Despite these challenges, the Bhutanese community in the United States has established a strong institutional presence, with community organizations, cultural associations, media outlets, and religious institutions in every major resettlement city.^[3]

Australia

Australia accepted approximately 5,500 Bhutanese refugees, primarily through its Refugee and Humanitarian Program managed by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (later the Department of Home Affairs). The first arrivals began in 2008. Bhutanese refugees in Australia were resettled mainly in major cities and regional centers including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart, and Launceston. Australia's resettlement program provided initial settlement support through the Humanitarian Settlement Program (HSP), including accommodation, English language instruction through the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP), and case management services for the first twelve months.^[4]

The Bhutanese community in Australia has developed particularly strong community organizations in cities like Adelaide and Hobart, where relatively concentrated settlement patterns facilitated community building. Regional resettlement in Tasmania proved notable, as the Bhutanese became one of the largest refugee communities in the state and made significant contributions to local industries including aged care and food processing.

Canada

Canada resettled approximately 6,500 Bhutanese refugees through its Government-Assisted Refugees (GAR) program, managed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Arrivals began in 2008 and continued through the early 2010s. Bhutanese refugees were resettled across multiple provinces, with significant communities forming in British Columbia (particularly Vancouver and surrounding municipalities), Alberta (Calgary and Edmonton), Ontario (Toronto, Kitchener-Waterloo, and Ottawa), and Atlantic Canada. Canada's program provided income support and essential services for twelve months through the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP), along with language training and settlement counseling.^[5]

The Canadian Bhutanese community has been particularly active in cultural preservation, establishing community organizations, language schools, and cultural festivals across the country. Some Bhutanese Canadians have also entered politics and public service, contributing to the broader Canadian multicultural fabric.

New Zealand

New Zealand accepted approximately 1,000 Bhutanese refugees through its Refugee Quota Programme, managed by Immigration New Zealand. Arrivals were processed through the Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre in Auckland, where refugees completed a six-week orientation and English language program before being resettled in communities across the country. Bhutanese refugees in New Zealand were settled primarily in cities including Auckland, Wellington, Hamilton, Palmerston North, and Nelson. Despite the relatively small numbers, the Bhutanese community in New Zealand has established cultural organizations and participated actively in local civic life.^[6]

European Countries

Norway

Norway accepted approximately 570 Bhutanese refugees, primarily between 2009 and 2012. Refugees were resettled through the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) and settled in municipalities across the country. Norway's integration program, managed by local municipalities, provided language training, cultural orientation, and employment support for up to three years.^[7]

Netherlands

The Netherlands resettled approximately 330 Bhutanese refugees through the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA). Refugees were settled in several municipalities and provided with integration services including Dutch language courses and civic orientation programs.

Denmark

Denmark accepted approximately 874 Bhutanese refugees under its resettlement quota. Refugees were settled across Danish municipalities and participated in the country's three-year integration program, which included language instruction and employment support.

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom resettled approximately 360 Bhutanese refugees through its Gateway Protection Programme (now the UK Resettlement Scheme). Refugees were settled in several local authority areas across England and received integration support including English language training and housing assistance.

Resettlement Outcomes and Challenges

The resettlement of Bhutanese refugees produced mixed outcomes across receiving countries. Positive indicators included high employment rates among working-age adults (particularly in the United States, where Bhutanese refugees achieved employment rates exceeding the national average for refugee populations), strong educational attainment among younger generations, and active community institution-building. The Bhutanese diaspora established hundreds of community organizations, temples, cultural associations, and media outlets across receiving countries.^[3]

Challenges included mental health difficulties — compounded by decades of camp life, unresolved trauma from forced displacement, and the stress of cultural adjustment — language barriers among elderly refugees, underemployment among educated individuals whose qualifications were not recognized in destination countries, and generational tensions between youth who rapidly acculturated and elders who struggled to adapt. A CDC study found elevated suicide rates among resettled Bhutanese in the United States, prompting targeted mental health interventions.^[8]

Significance

The eight-country resettlement program resolved one of Asia's longest-standing refugee situations. It demonstrated that coordinated international action could address protracted displacement, even when bilateral negotiations between the origin and asylum countries had failed entirely. The geographic dispersion of the Bhutanese diaspora, however, raised questions about cultural continuity and community cohesion that the diaspora continues to navigate. The program remains a reference point in international refugee policy discussions regarding the merits and limitations of third-country resettlement as a durable solution.^[1]

References

1. UNHCR. "Resettlement of Bhutanese Refugees Surpasses 100,000 Mark." November 2015. https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/news/stories/2015/11/564dded46/
2. U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. "Bhutanese Refugees Fact Sheet." https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/prm/releases/factsheets/2014/234067.htm
3. U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement. "Refugee Programs." https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/programs/refugees
4. Australian Department of Home Affairs. "Refugee and Humanitarian Program." https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/
5. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. "Refugees and Asylum." https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/refugees.html
6. Immigration New Zealand. "Refugee Resettlement Strategy." https://www.immigration.govt.nz/
7. Norwegian Directorate of Immigration. "Resettlement Refugees." https://www.udi.no/en/word-definitions/resettlement-refugees/
8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Suicide and Suicidal Ideation Among Bhutanese Refugees — United States, 2009–2012." MMWR, July 2013. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6226a2.htm