This Special Issue provides a global overview of Community Sponsorship and Complementary Pathways outside Canada, drawing on a systematic scoping review of literature from 2015 to 2023. It finds that while these pathways can enhance social inclusion, integration, and regional revitalisation, they also face persistent challenges including bureaucratic barriers, temporary legal status, power imbalances, and uneven rights protections. Across diverse country contexts, the articles highlight both the benefits and risks of shifting responsibility to private actors, identify critical evidence gaps, particularly regarding refugee lived experiences and long-term outcomes, and offer comparative insights to inform more sustainable, rights-based policy development.