Chapter 5 were primarily from Syria (17,600), Eritrea (8,600) and Afghanistan (8,000). Three-quarters of the refugees who acquired citizenship or were granted permanent residency did so in just three countries. Canada accounted for the largest share, with 27,400 individuals becoming permanent residents, predominantly Iranians (2,500) and Nigerians (1,800). Sweden and the Kingdom of the Netherlands were next, with 21,000 (23 per cent) and 19,000 (21 per cent) respectively. has been able to overcome their displacementrelated vulnerabilities.186 If returns occur in areas of origin where the situation remains unstable, or the prospects for reintegration are limited, the risk of renewed displacement remains high. During 2024, over 8.2 million IDPs were estimated to have returned to their place of origin. This is 61 per cent higher from the previous year and is the second highest global yearly IDP returns ever reported (see figure 21).187 In addition to refugees, other population groups also have specific opportunities to settle in countries of asylum. For example, in Belize, an amnesty programme offered an alternative pathway to permanent residency for asylum-seekers and other population groups arriving in the country. By December 2024, nearly 500 asylum-seekers had received residency cards, granting them access to rights, services and a path toward future naturalization. Return of IDPs The process of returning to one’s place of origin does not in itself reflect that a formerly displaced person Nearly 9 in 10 IDP returns in 2024 took place in Ethiopia (2.4 million), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2.4 million), Lebanon (860,700), Ukraine (782,000), Syria (513,900) and Myanmar (377,600). As conflict intensity varies across different areas in countries and over time, waves of new internal displacement and return movements may follow each other. As such, in all of the countries noted above, large new internal displacements were also reported. However, positively, in Ethiopia and Lebanon returns have continued in early 2025 and in Syria, reported IDP returns between January and early May 2025 have already surpassed those during 2024. Figure 21 | Returns of IDPs protected/assisted by UNHCR | 2020-2024 Ethiopia Ukraine 8M Dem. Rep. of the Congo 8.3 million 8.2 million Syria Lebanon Other Number of people 6M 5.3 million 5.1 million 4M 3.2 million 2M 0M 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 186 See What are durable solutions for refugees and IDPs?, UNHCR. 187 UNHCR first started reporting returns of IDPs in 1997 in 4 countries. By 2006, reporting included estimates from 17 countries. The highest number of IDP returns was recorded in 2022, totalling 8.3 million. UNHCR > GLOBAL TRENDS 2024 55