This guide focuses on the legal process and framework, which is in many ways a pre-requisite for the realization of the other dimensions of successful integration. It is a process which should lead to permanent residence rights and ultimately, the acquisition of citizenship. Beyond securing legal rights, the economic and socio-cultural dimensions of life in the country of asylum are also integral to successful integration. As such, the recommended standards set out in this guide will reflect the importance for refugees of attaining a growing degree of self-reliance, being able to pursue sustainable livelihoods and contributing to the economic life of the host country.
Rosa da Costa, Rights of Refugees in the Context of Integration: Legal Standards and Recommendations, Research Paper No.12, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), June 2006, https://www.refworld.org/reference/lpprs/unhcr/2006/en/39551 [accessed 31 August 2026]
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