Understanding Refugee and Asylum Policies in Canada

Refugees and asylum

If you have a fear of persecution in your own country due to some unavoidable circumstances, you can apply for asylum as a refugee in Canada (from within or outside of Canada). The country offers refugee protection to those who have a fear of oppression and danger in they go back to their own country.

Refugee protection can be applied under these following two categories:

Refugee protection from inside Canada

Foreign nationals living in Canada, who have the fear of persecution and danger if they ever have to leave and go back to their own country, can get refugee protection from Canada. The risk could be torture, risk of losing life or a cruel treatment or punishment.

Eligibility

In order to become eligible to make a refugee claim in Canada,

• You don’t have any previous refugee claim, which was rejected by the IRB or found not eligible.

• You are not under a removal order

Resettlement from outside Canada

Bringing refugees in Canada from outside the country is known as resettlement. In order to come to Canada as a refugee, you cannot apply directly; instead, you have to be referred by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), a designated referral organization, or a private sponsorship group.

The above organizations will not refer you unless you fall into one of these following two refugee classes:

1. Convention refugee abroad class

If you are currently living outside of your home country and it’s impossible for you to return due to some well-founded fears of oppression based on your religion, race, political views, nationality, or membership in a certain social group, you are in this class. If you have enough funds that are necessary to support yourself and your family after your arrival in Canada, you can still be a convention refugee.

As a convention refugee, you can be sponsored by:

• The Canadian government.

• A group of people or an organization.

• A mix of both.

2. Country of asylum