Nation of Sanctuary

The Nation of Sanctuary (NOS; Welsh: Cenedl Noddfa; CN) is an initiative of the Welsh Government which aims to promote community cohesion and the integration of asylum seekers and refugees in Wales by offering them services and financial and social support covering areas such as housing, language, employment and education. Since its launch in 2019, over 80% of the refugees and asylum seekers supported by the initiative have been Ukrainians who fled their nation after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with the rest being refugees from Hong Kong and Afghanistan.

The Nation of Sanctuary was first developed in the 2010s by Welsh Labour under First Minister Carwyn Jones, who developed it as a progressive alternative to the anti-immigration policies of the UK Government and the UK Labour Party in the aftermath of the 2015 European migrant crisis as part of Welsh Labour's clear red water strategy. Launched in 2019, the Nation of Sanctuary offers refugees and asylum seekers support such as subsidised transport and English and Welsh language education. By 2025, £55 million had been spent on the scheme.

The Nation of Sanctuary scheme is endorsed by the United Nations. Supporters of the scheme, including Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru, argue that it encourages the integration of immigrants into Welsh society, boosts the economy and meets a humanitarian moral obligation to help those in need, whereas opponents such as Reform UK and the Welsh Conservatives argue that the scheme could promote illegal immigration and that the money should be spent elsewhere to prioritise citizens first. Public opposition to the scheme was a factor behind the 2025 British anti-immigration protests and Operation Raise the Colours campaign in Wales.