1 / 11

Principles of In-Canada Refugee Protection

Principles of In-Canada Refugee Protection. An Overview. Workshop on Protection and Durable Solutions San Jose, Costa Rica, August 11-13 Dick Graham, Director of Asylum Refugees Branch Citizenship & Immigration Canada. Presentation Outline. Legal Obligation Humanitarian Tradition

jereni
Download Presentation

Principles of In-Canada Refugee Protection

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Principles of In-Canada Refugee Protection An Overview Workshop on Protection and Durable Solutions San Jose, Costa Rica, August 11-13 Dick Graham, Director of Asylum Refugees Branch Citizenship & Immigration Canada

  2. Presentation Outline • Legal Obligation • Humanitarian Tradition • Eligibility • Protection and Public Safety • Quasi-judicial and Non-adversarial Hearing • Judicial Appeal • Risk Upon Return • Finality for claimant

  3. Legal Obligation • Canadian asylum system is guided by the principle of non-refoulement (or non-return) of persons to countries where: • there is a well-founded fear of persecution (1951 Refugee Convention and 1967 Protocol) • there are substantial grounds for believing he/she will be tortured (Convention Against Torture)

  4. Humanitarian Tradition • Refugee protection also based on Canadian values of compassion and humanitarianism • For example: • Refugee Resettlement • Resettling refugees from other countries • International Involvement • Mexico Plan of Action, UNHCR contributions, diplomatic efforts

  5. Eligibility Claimants are deemed ineligible if: • Claimant made a prior ineligible, withdrawn or abandoned claim • Claimant recognized as Convention refugee by other country • Claimant came to Canada from a country determined a Safe Third Country • Claimant inadmissible on grounds of security, serious criminality or organized crime

  6. Protection and Public Safety Criminality: • Fingerprints database search (RCMP, Interpol) • Serious criminality leads to ineligibility Security: • 10 year history (addresses, education, work, family background, etc.) • Screened by Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) • Refugee claim cannot be heard prior to security clearance

  7. Quasi-Judicial, non-Adversarial Hearing Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) • Independent, impartial decision-makers • Emphasis on quality first-instance decision Two grounds for protection are considered: • Convention Refugee • Person in need of protection (Danger of torture, risk to life or risk of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment)

  8. Judicial Appeal • Leave to appeal at Federal Court must be granted by federal judge • Appeal on process, not merits • If decision is in favour of the appellant, the claim is referred back to IRB

  9. Risk Upon Return Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA): • Most people who have been issued a removal order are entitled to apply for a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA) • Only new evidence may be submitted • Successful applicants may apply for permanent residence, unsuccessful applicants are subject to removal

  10. Finality for Claimant Protected Person Status: • May apply for permanent resident status • May apply for citizenship after 3 years Removal: • Failed claimant, in absence of a risk upon return, is subject to removal • Pre-Removal Risk Assessment available to all

  11. Challenges • Dealing with large flows • Cost of system • Levels of appeal • Claimants without finality

More Related