The Government has announced it will increase the size of the Refugee Quota from 750 to 1000 places per year from 2018.

"The new quota of 1,000 will cost an extra $25 million a year. This is on top of the $75 million a year we currently spend on quota refugees," Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse says.

The Government has also agreed to pilot a new community sponsorship category in 2017/2018, with details to be announced next year. See Radio New Zealand's report on the new refugee sponsorship category. 

"The offers of support from the New Zealand public in the wake of publicity around the significant displacement of people globally is commendable and the Government is keen to explore how that support might be used to the benefit of refugees," Mr Woodhouse says.

He says Immigration New Zealand will also start a process to select a further refugee settlement location to assist the accommodation of the extra intake.

"There are currently six locations where refugees are settled once they have completed their reception at the Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre, with Dunedin the most recent settlement city. I expect another location will be announced sometime in 2017," says Mr Woodhouse.