Jordan’s domestic laws do not provide a formal legal category for alternative or complementary protection. The country is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol, and it has not enacted a national asylum law that establishes refugee status or provides legal pathways for individuals outside the UNHCR’s mandate. Under the Law on Residence and Foreigners’ Affairs No. 24 of 1973, persons without valid residence permits are treated as irregular migrants, with no distinction made between those in need of international protection and others.

In terms of policy, Jordan has developed administrative and humanitarian arrangements that function as substitute protection mechanisms. The 1998 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UNHCR authorizes the agency to conduct Refugee Status Determination (RSD) and issue documentation. Although this does not confer a legal status under Jordanian law, it provides a basis for a temporary stay and access to essential services. For Syrians, Jordan has adopted specific policy and administrative arrangements that provide group-based permission to remain in the country and access services, reflecting a pragmatic approach to responding to large-scale displacement. Other policy initiatives provide limited avenues of stability but fall short of formal complementary protection. For example, Jordan has introduced work permit schemes, particularly for Syrians in designated sectors, which expand access to livelihoods but do not confer a secure legal status. Since 2019, restrictions on UNHCR registration for asylum-seekers have narrowed available options further, leaving many without documentation or recognized protection pathways.

In sum, Jordan’s laws do not recognize alternative or complementary protection status, but its policies provide partial substitutes through UNHCR cooperation, protection measures, and sectoral access initiatives. These arrangements demonstrate Jordan’s humanitarian commitment, although they fall short of providing the legal certainty and enforceable rights typically associated with a codified complementary protection regime.