Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the community sponsorship system, modeled on a long-running Canadian program, is expected to begin later this year, with the first sponsored refugees anticipated to arrive in autumn 2027. The Home Office also said it plans to launch a separate employer sponsorship route for refugees next year.

The announcement comes as immigration remains one of the most politically sensitive issues in Britain, where public debate over asylum policy has intensified alongside growing support for the right-wing Reform UK party.

The government said the new sponsorship framework would operate at a significantly higher capacity than the existing UK Resettlement Scheme, which resettled around 800 people in the year ending September 2025. Officials did not specify how many refugees the expanded program would accommodate, saying only that admissions would be subject to an annual cap.

Mahmood said the policy was designed to expand safe and legal pathways for people with genuine protection needs while strengthening controls against abuse of the asylum system.

The initiative forms part of a wider immigration strategy being pursued by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government. Parliament is expected to consider legislation next week that would tighten asylum rules by making it easier to remove failed asylum applicants and limiting refugee family reunification rights to immediate family members.

The policy announcement also comes during a period of political transition. Starmer stepped down as leader this week but will remain prime minister until a successor is selected. Andy Burnham, widely viewed as a leading contender to replace him, has acknowledged public concerns over migration during his recent political campaign, although his detailed immigration policy has yet to be outlined.

It also remains uncertain whether Mahmood will continue as home secretary under the incoming administration.

Britain has previously implemented targeted sponsorship and resettlement schemes for refugees fleeing conflicts in countries including Syria and Afghanistan. Earlier this year, Mahmood faced criticism from humanitarian organizations and members of her own party after introducing measures that made refugee status temporary and restricted education visas for nationals of countries including Afghanistan, Myanmar and Sudan.