Starting a New Life in America: The Refugee Resettlement Program

Every year, tens of thousands of people arrive in the United States as refugees—individuals who have fled persecution, war, and violence in their home countries and have been vetted and approved for resettlement by the U.S. government and the United Nations. They arrive with little more than what they can carry, often after spending years in refugee camps or dangerous transit situations. They may not speak English. They may have experienced severe trauma. They need immediate help finding housing, obtaining food and clothing, accessing medical care, learning English, finding employment, and navigating a society vastly different from anything they have known.

The Refugee Resettlement Program, administered by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, provides this critical assistance. Since its establishment under the Refugee Act of 1980, the program has helped over 3 million refugees build new lives in America. It is a comprehensive system that provides immediate arrival assistance (housing, food, clothing, medical screening), short-term cash and medical assistance for those who don’t qualify for other programs, and longer-term employment services, English language training, and social integration support.

The program operates through a network of nine national resettlement agencies with over 200 local offices, state refugee coordinators in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and hundreds of community-based organizations providing direct services. It reflects America’s historic commitment to providing haven for the persecuted—a commitment that has brought to American shores people who have gone on to become business owners, teachers, doctors, soldiers, scientists, and civic leaders.

Opportunity Snapshot

Reception and Placement (R&P)

The first phase of resettlement begins before the refugee even arrives in the United States. The Reception and Placement program, funded by the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), provides the immediate, on-the-ground assistance that newly arrived refugees need during their first 90 days.

The nine national resettlement agencies—including Church World Service, the International Rescue Committee, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, and others—receive a per-capita grant of $2,375 for each refugee they resettle. With these funds and supplemental private resources, the agencies provide pre-arrival services including securing housing (an apartment with basic furnishings, kitchen supplies, linens, and cleaning supplies), arranging airport pickup and transportation, and stocking the home with culturally appropriate food for the first meals in America.

Upon arrival, the R&P program provides orientation to the local community including public transportation, grocery stores, schools, and healthcare facilities, cultural orientation covering American customs, laws, tenant rights, financial literacy, and personal safety, school enrollment for children, initial medical screening and connection to healthcare, Social Security card application, and assistance applying for benefits including SNAP, Medicaid (if eligible), and other programs. The R&P caseworker serves as the refugee’s primary point of contact during these critical first 90 days, helping navigate the overwhelming adjustment to life in a new country.

Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA)

Refugees who do not qualify for other cash assistance programs (such as TANF or SSI) are eligible for Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) during their first eight months in the United States. RCA provides monthly cash payments based on the state’s TANF benefit level, typically ranging from $400 to $1,225 per month depending on family size and state. RCA requires recipients to register for employment services and accept appropriate job offers, reflecting the program’s emphasis on early economic self-sufficiency. Benefits continue for up to 8 months from the date of arrival (or date of asylum grant for asylees).

In some states, an alternative program called the Matching Grant provides a more intensive path to self-sufficiency. Under Matching Grant, resettlement agencies provide enhanced case management and employment services with the goal of helping refugees achieve financial independence within 4 to 6 months—faster than the standard RCA timeline. Matching Grant participants receive cash support comparable to RCA but with more intensive job placement assistance, including résumé preparation, interview coaching, job leads, and post-placement support.

Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA)

Access to healthcare is critical for newly arrived refugees, many of whom have spent years without adequate medical care. Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA) provides health coverage for refugees who do not qualify for Medicaid during their first eight months in the United States. RMA covers doctor visits, hospitalization, prescription medications, dental care, mental health services, and other medical needs.

Prior to or shortly after arrival, all refugees receive an initial health screening that checks for infectious diseases (tuberculosis, hepatitis B, parasitic infections), chronic conditions (diabetes, hypertension, anemia), mental health conditions (PTSD, depression, anxiety), nutritional deficiencies, immunization status, and dental health. This screening identifies immediate health needs and establishes a baseline for ongoing care. Follow-up care is provided through the RMA program or, for those who qualify, through Medicaid.

Mental health services are a particularly critical component. Studies consistently show that refugees experience PTSD, depression, and anxiety at rates significantly higher than the general population, often as a result of war, persecution, torture, sexual violence, and the trauma of displacement. ORR funds specialized refugee mental health programs that provide culturally and linguistically appropriate therapeutic services.

Employment Services

Economic self-sufficiency is the central goal of the refugee resettlement program. ORR funds a comprehensive array of employment services designed to help refugees enter the labor force as quickly as possible and progress toward careers that fully utilize their skills and education.

Refugee Employment and Training Programs provide job readiness training including workplace culture, communication skills, and professional expectations in the American workplace, job placement services that match refugees’ skills with local employment opportunities, on-the-job training and vocational skills development, career pathways programs that help refugees with professional backgrounds (teachers, engineers, healthcare workers, etc.) obtain American credentials and licenses, and post-employment support including retention services, advancement coaching, and resolution of workplace issues.

Microenterprise Development programs help entrepreneurial refugees start small businesses, providing training in business planning, marketing, financial management, and American business regulations, along with access to microloans and mentorship.

Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) are matched savings programs that help refugees save for specific asset-building goals including homeownership, education, or business startup.

Employment outcomes for refugees are remarkably strong. Research shows that within five years of arrival, the vast majority of working-age refugees are employed, and their labor force participation rate exceeds that of the U.S.-born population. Within 20 years, refugees contribute more in taxes than they receive in benefits—a finding confirmed by multiple economic studies.

English Language Training

English proficiency is the single strongest predictor of economic success for refugees in the United States. ORR funds English as a Second Language (ESL) programs specifically designed for refugee populations, including standard classroom-based ESL instruction at multiple proficiency levels, vocational ESL that integrates language learning with job skills training, workplace ESL programs offered at or near employment sites, family literacy programs that serve parents and children together, and digital literacy programs that combine English learning with computer skills.

Refugee ESL programs are designed to be accessible to populations that may include individuals with interrupted formal education, pre-literate learners (those who have never learned to read or write in any language), and adults with limited experience in formal classroom settings. Many programs offer childcare and transportation assistance to remove barriers to attendance.

Specialized Programs

Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM)

ORR operates the Unaccompanied Refugee Minors program for refugee and asylee children under 18 who arrive without a parent or legal guardian. URM provides foster care placement with trained and licensed families, residential care when foster care is not appropriate, case management, legal services, independent living skills training, educational support, and mental health services.

Refugee School Impact Program

This program provides supplemental funding to school districts experiencing significant enrollment of refugee children, supporting language instruction, academic support, cultural orientation, parent engagement, and school-based mental health services.

Refugee Health Promotion

ORR funds health promotion programs that address the specific health challenges facing refugee communities, including health education in culturally appropriate formats, community health worker programs, chronic disease management, maternal and child health, and nutrition education.

Services for Older Refugees

Elderly refugees face unique challenges including social isolation, difficulty learning English, limited employment prospects, and complex health needs. ORR funds programs specifically designed for older refugees, including citizenship preparation, social engagement activities, health education, and connection to aging services.

Eligible Populations

The Refugee Resettlement Program serves several categories of individuals who have been granted protection or special immigration status:

Refugees are individuals who have been persecuted or have a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group, and who have been admitted to the United States through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) after extensive vetting and processing overseas.

Asylees are individuals already present in the United States (or at a port of entry) who have been granted asylum by an immigration judge or USCIS asylum officer based on the same persecution criteria as refugees.

Cuban and Haitian Entrants are nationals of Cuba and Haiti who have been paroled into or are present in the United States and meet specific statutory criteria.

Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) Holders are Iraqi and Afghan individuals who worked with the U.S. military or government and have been granted special immigrant visas due to threats resulting from that service.

Certified Victims of Human Trafficking are individuals certified by ORR as victims of severe forms of trafficking, making them eligible for the same benefits and services as refugees.

How to Access Services

Step 1: If you are a newly arriving refugee, you will be assigned to one of the nine national resettlement agencies before arrival. Your local resettlement agency office will be your primary point of contact and will begin providing services immediately upon your arrival.

Step 2: If you are an asylee or other eligible individual, contact your state refugee coordinator to learn about available services. Find your state coordinator at the ORR website (acf.hhs.gov/orr) or call 211 for referrals.

Step 3: Contact a local resettlement agency. Even if you were not initially resettled by a particular agency, most welcome eligible individuals for employment services, English classes, and other programs. Find an agency near you at acf.hhs.gov/orr.

Step 4: Apply promptly. Cash and medical assistance (RCA/RMA) are time-limited—you must apply within the first 8 months of arrival or status grant. Employment services and some other programs are available for up to 5 years.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do benefits last? Cash and medical assistance are available for up to 8 months from arrival or status grant date. Employment services are available for up to 5 years. Some programs have no time limit.

Can asylees receive the same services as refugees? Yes. Asylees, SIV holders, Cuban/Haitian entrants, and certified trafficking victims are eligible for the same ORR-funded services as refugees.

Do I have to repay any of the assistance? Cash assistance, medical assistance, employment services, and English classes are grants—they do not need to be repaid. However, refugees are responsible for repaying the travel loan that covers the cost of their airfare to the United States (through the International Organization for Migration).

Can I choose where I am resettled? The resettlement agency considers family ties, community resources, and other factors when determining placement. If you have family members already in the U.S., the agency will attempt to resettle you near them.

What happens after 8 months? After the initial 8-month period, refugees are expected to transition to employment income and, if needed, to mainstream benefit programs (SNAP, Medicaid, TANF) for which they may be eligible.

How to Get Started

1. Contact the Office of Refugee Resettlement at acf.hhs.gov/orr
2. Find your state refugee coordinator through the ORR website
3. Contact a local resettlement agency near you
4. Call 211 for refugee services in your community
5. If newly arrived, contact your assigned resettlement agency immediately
6. Visit switchboardta.org for refugee service resources and referrals

America’s refugee resettlement program represents one of the most comprehensive integration support systems in the world. From the moment of arrival through the journey to citizenship, it provides the tools and support that help refugees not just survive but thrive in their new home.