Refugees
Immigrate as a refugee or become a sponsor
Refugees are people who have fled their countries because of a well-founded fear of persecution. They are not able to return home. They have seen or experienced many horrors. A refugee is different from an immigrant. An immigrant is a person who chooses to settle permanently in another country. Refugees are forced to flee.
Canadian refugee protection programs
The Canadian refugee system has two main parts:
- The Refugee and Humanitarian Resettlement Program, for people who need protection from outside Canada and
- The In-Canada Asylum Program for people making refugee protection claims from within Canada
1. Refugee and Humanitarian Resettlement Program
Refugees who come to Canada have left their homes, and in many cases they have had to live in refugee camps for many years. When they arrive in Canada, they have to start their lives over again.
The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), along with private sponsors, identify refugees for resettlement. A person cannot apply directly to Canada for resettlement. After they are identified, it takes time to process the cases.
Private sponsors across the country also help resettle refugees to Canada. Some do this on an ongoing basis. They have signed sponsorship agreements with the Government of Canada to help support refugees. These groups are known as Sponsorship Agreement Holders. Sponsorship Agreement Holders can sponsor refugees themselves, or work with others in the community to do so.
Other sponsors, known as Groups of Five and Community Sponsors, are people or groups in the community who have come together to sponsor refugee(s). They generally do not sponsor refugees on an ongoing basis.
The Blended Visa Office-Referred (BVOR) Program matches refugees identified by the UNHCR with private sponsors in Canada.
2. In-Canada Asylum Program
The asylum program works to provide refugee protection to people in Canada who:
- Have a well-founded fear of persecution or
- Are at risk of torture, or cruel or unusual punishment in their home countries
Not everyone is eligible to seek asylum. For example, people are not eligible to make a claim if they have:
- Been convicted of serious criminal offences or
- Had previous refugee claims denied by Canada
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