INTEGRATION LOAN FOR REFUGEE
A loan for refugee and asylum seeker is defined as a specialized financial product designed to meet the unique needs of individuals who have fled their home countries due to conflict, persecution, or other serious threats.
The refugee loan and asylum seeker funding facilitate the integration and resettlement process for refugees and asylum seeker as the initial period of resettlement can be financially challenging, as many refugees arrive with limited resources and face barriers to employment.
The loan for refugee and asylum seeker can vary in type, including integration loans, personal loans, and mortgages specifically tailored for refugees; while integration loans are typically aimed at helping refugees cover initial expenses such as housing deposits, furnishings, and other essentials needed to establish a new life in a host country.
Where can a refugee or asylum seeker find a financing (integration an personal loans) in the UK, France, Germany, Canada and the USA ?
In several countries, there are programs, microfinance institutions, and community lenders that provide integration loans or personal financing for refugees.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- UK Refugee Integration Loan (UK Government)
- Interest-free loan from the Home Office.
- For refugees and those with humanitarian protection to help with housing, training, work access, or family reunification.
- Repayment is small and income-based.
👉 gov.uk – Refugee Integration Loan
- Fair Finance (Social Enterprise)
- Provides affordable personal loans to people excluded from mainstream finance, including migrants and refugees.
👉 fairfinance.org.uk
- Provides affordable personal loans to people excluded from mainstream finance, including migrants and refugees.
- Refugee Council
- Works with partners to help refugees access financial support and budgeting help.
🇫🇷 France
- Adie (Association pour le Droit à l’Initiative Économique)
- A leading microfinance institution offering microloans (up to €10,000) to refugees and migrants for business creation or personal needs.
👉 adie.org
- A leading microfinance institution offering microloans (up to €10,000) to refugees and migrants for business creation or personal needs.
- Caisses de Crédit Municipal (Municipal Credit Banks)
- Provide small personal loans, sometimes accessible to refugees with residence documents.
- Refugee Entrepreneurship Programs
- Supported by NGOs and government to fund training and micro-businesses.
🇩🇪 Germany
- KfW & Microfinance Institutions
- While mainstream banks rarely lend to asylum seekers, Mikrokreditfonds Deutschland supports small business loans via partner NGOs.
👉 mikrokreditfonds-deutschland.de
- While mainstream banks rarely lend to asylum seekers, Mikrokreditfonds Deutschland supports small business loans via partner NGOs.
- Refugee Start-Up Programs
- Local chambers of commerce and NGOs (e.g. StartHope@Home, SINGA Deutschland) provide access to microloans and coaching.
- Caritas & Diakonie
- Sometimes provide small emergency financial help or act as guarantors.
🇨🇦 Canada
- Windmill Microlending
- Provides loans up to $15,000 CAD to refugees and immigrants to help with credential recognition, training, and employment integration.
👉 windmillmicrolending.org
- Provides loans up to $15,000 CAD to refugees and immigrants to help with credential recognition, training, and employment integration.
- Access Community Capital Fund (Toronto)
- Offers microloans for personal development and business start-ups, open to newcomers and refugees.
👉 accessccf.com
- Offers microloans for personal development and business start-ups, open to newcomers and refugees.
- Alterna Savings Credit Union
- Provides community loans, often with flexible eligibility for newcomers.
🇺🇸 United States
- Refugee Microenterprise Development Program (Office of Refugee Resettlement – ORR)
- Provides microloans and training to refugees who want to start businesses.
- Accion Opportunity Fund
- Nonprofit lender offering small business and personal loans to underserved groups, including immigrants.
👉 aofund.org
- Nonprofit lender offering small business and personal loans to underserved groups, including immigrants.
- Hebrew Free Loan Associations (various cities)
- Interest-free loans for refugees, immigrants, and low-income families.
- IRC (International Rescue Committee)
- Offers financial coaching, matched savings, and sometimes small business loans for refugees.