The number of refugees in Canada is one of the highest worldwide. In fact, they are an essential part of the immigration level plan. However, this year the goal is still far away to be met.

What is a Refugee in Canada?

A refugee in Canada is someone who is living outside their home country and can’t go back due to a legitimate concern of persecution, and his life is at risk. Over the years, Canada has been known for being one of the most supportive and welcoming refugees worldwide. The refugee system in Canada offers three pathways: Government assistance, Private Sponsorship, and the blended visa office-referred program. All of the paths give permanent status.Most people who ask for refugee in Canada settled in Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, and Alberta. In these four provinces, the vast majority of claims were people between 30 and 44 years old, some between 15 to 29. In contrast, a few of them were 75 and older.

Statistics of Refugees in Canada

So far in 2021, Canada had welcomed more than 7,800 government-assisted refugees, considerably below the federal government’s target of 12,500. Also, Canada had accepted just 4,500 privately sponsored refugees; but the admission target for privately sponsored refugees was 22,500.According to Statista, the top ten countries of refugee claimants in Canada during 2020 were:1 India2 Mexico3 Iran4 Colombia 5 Haiti6 Pakistan7 China8 Nigeria9 Turkey10 Sri Lanka

How to Qualify as Refugees in Canada?

To be a refugee in Canada, you must be a foreigner who fears persecution, with his life at risk and cannot get protection or get back to their own country.Refugees in Canada can stay to live in the country and apply for permanent residency. Also, after meeting the criteria, they may eventually become Canadian citizens. In Canada, there are three different types of refugees: Persons in Need of Protection, Convention Refugees and Asylum Class. To be accepted, the Refugee Protection Division of the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) will decide if the applicant qualifies or not as a refugee in Canada. In some cases, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) also makes the decision.

Persons in Need of Protection

A Person in Need of Protection is someone whose life back in his country is at risk. Therefore, if they go back to their homeland, they could suffer torture, cruel treatment and punishment. And they can not get protection from their government,

2. Convention Refugee

Convention Refugees in Canada are people who live outside of their national country. And, due to persecution they cannot get protection in their home country and cannot return to it. In this case, the fear of persecution must be reliable and proved based on their:

race
religion
nationality
political opinion
Their association in a particular social group. Including those that a person cant change. Such as gender, sexual orientation or any other they choose.

For Refugees in Canada, persecution includes death threats, torture, or arrest by local government, guerrillas, or other non-government agents. A refugee claim must also show there isn’t another place in their country where they could go and live safely.Anyone who feels that they should be considered a Person in Need of Protection or a Convention Refugee in Canada may claim protection when they enter or inside Canada. However, if the person is outside of Canada, they can apply under the Convention Refugee Abroad Class. Once the application is made, the visa offices assess the case and determine whether the claimant meets the refugee requirements to be admitted as a refugee in Canada.

Asylum Class

The Asylum Class is for people outside of Canada in a refugee situation but who do not qualify as Convention Refugees. Under the asylum class, this person can be eligible if an Immigration Officer determines that they have been and are still harmed by civil war, armed conflict or under a massive violation of human rights.A person under this class must show that there is no internal alternative in their country. Therefore, they can not get back to life safely and free of persecution.

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Asylum Refugee Class refugee in Canada