Consultant - Complementary Pathways

Background of the project

The International Rescue Committee’s Resettlement, Asylum and Integration Department is responsible for providing early resettlement services to newly arrived refugees, Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders and similar newcomers. IRC has been active in support of the Three Year Strategy on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways and is a leader in resettlement, however, IRC has not yet significantly engaged in advocacy or programming for Complementary Pathways.

The consultant will be expected to examine current and proposed Complementary Pathways to the United States and Europe and determine where there may be operational or advocacy gaps that IRC could potentially address. Noting that IRC has programming across the globe, the focus of this consultancy is on the receiving, not sending, country, however, it will be important to understand where there are additional opportunities to explore.The consultant will make recommendations about where IRC, working alongside others, can add the most value to increasing and expanding complementary protection pathways for refugees.

Scope of work

• Review of current landscape in the US and Europe for admitting refugees through Complementary Pathways.
• Meet with like-minded organizations such as Talent Beyond Boundaries, Refuge Point, IRAP, as well as UNHCR to identify perceived gaps.
• Identification of best practices and challenges with implementation of complementary pathways to date.
• The consultant will produce a report with analysis of the gaps and recommendations for where, if applicable, IRC can add the greatest value and make recommendations for moving forward with advocacy and/or programming.

Deliverables:

• A research summary that will include:
  • The current and anticipated landscape for refugees accessing complementary pathways, including changing legislation and projected numbers of beneficiaries, over the next five years.
  • The specific gaps identified through the research in which IRC has the expertise to address.
  • Recommendations for IRC’s response within existing structures and/or additional capacity.
  • Potential funding opportunities to advance complementary pathways.
• An executive summary that responds to the following questions:
  
  • What are potential federal and regional/state administrative policy and/or legislative opportunities to open complementary pathways in the US and Europe? What are the barriers to these policy shifts?
  • Given this landscape and IRC’s program and technical expertise, what are the key advocacy opportunities for IRC to help advance complementary pathways?
    What are the programmatic opportunities for IRC in the expansion of complementary pathways over the coming five years? Where are IRC’s strengths best applied to this global effort?
  • What are the current funding streams for programming in complementary pathways?
  • What specific actions are likely to be helpful in expanding complementary pathways
• A presentation of findings to ELT and the transition working group.