Protocol

We propose that an international agreement standardising a Choice-Based Asylum Protocol will deliver adherence to the UNHCR rules and provide acceptable outcomes for all stakeholders.

Welcoming

Displaced people should claim temporary asylum at a centre in the first Safe Country. They may be moved to a centre in another Safe Country temporarily to balance available accommodation to avoid overcrowding and maintain a decent quality of service.

Assessing capacities

An internationally agreed calculation is made to generate placements based upon factors such as current refugee percentage of population.

It would be possible to allow for places in one Safe Country to be funded by another Safe Country based upon gross domestic product per capita, for instance.

This aims to fairly share both physical places and their funding amongst Safe Countries.

Respect

Displaced people are consulted about their wishes and needs. “Stars” are awarded for things such as:

• Having previously studied or worked in a chosen Safe Country
• Language proficiency in one of a chosen Safe Country’s official languages
• Skills requirements in a chosen Safe Country
• Proven close family living in a chosen Safe Country (although this could be provided for by a visa)

Placement

Another internationally agreed calculation is made to offer a placement based upon the displaced person’s choice of Safe Country, available placements and Stars taken in to account.

Up to two placements may be rejected before the third must be accepted.

A similar system is used in the United Kingdom to allocate social housing for people in need, dependant upon the available resources of local councils.