Canada's Refugee System: Overseas Resettlement and In-Canada Protection
TL;DR — Canada's refugee system has two main streams. The overseas resettlement program brings refugees identified abroad to Canada under Government-Assisted Refugee (GAR), Privately Sponsored Refugee (PSR), and Blended Visa Office-Referred (BVOR) categories. The in-Canada asylum system processes refugee claims made at the port of entry or inland through the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB). Both pathways lead to permanent residence for those granted protection.
Overseas resettlement
Canada is one of the world's largest refugee-resettlement countries. Each year, IRCC sets a target in the Immigration Levels Plan for overseas refugee admissions across three streams.
Government-Assisted Refugees (GAR)
GARs are referred to Canada by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) or another designated referral organization. They have already been recognized as refugees under the 1951 Refugee Convention and need third-country resettlement.
Key features:
- Selected from refugee camps and urban refugee populations worldwide.
- IRCC provides up to 12 months of income support through the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP).
- Settlement-service agencies provide initial reception, housing search, and orientation.
- Most GARs settle in cities with established RAP service-provider networks.
Privately Sponsored Refugees (PSR)
PSRs are sponsored by private Canadian groups — Sponsorship Agreement Holders (SAHs), Constituent Groups (CGs), Groups of Five (G5), or Community Sponsors. The sponsor agrees to provide financial and emotional support for 12 months (or up to 36 months in special cases) covering food, housing, clothing, and basic settlement needs.
Key features:
- Sponsors must demonstrate financial capacity and a settlement plan.
- Sponsors typically commit CAD $17,000 to $40,000 per family depending on size.
- The PSR program has long processing times (often 2 to 4 years) due to high volume and capped allocations.
- A SAH cap limits the number of applications each year per agreement holder.
Blended Visa Office-Referred (BVOR)
BVOR refugees are identified by UNHCR and matched to private Canadian sponsors. The federal government provides 6 months of income support, and the sponsor provides 6 months of additional support plus emotional and integration help for 12 months total.
Key features:
- Lower-cost option for sponsors compared to PSR.
- Faster processing because UNHCR pre-screens.
- Strong settlement outcomes from combined government + private support.
In-Canada asylum claims
Individuals already in Canada (or arriving at a port of entry) can claim refugee protection under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).
How to claim
- At the port of entry: A person can claim asylum upon arriving at a Canadian airport, land border, or marine port. CBSA officers conduct an initial eligibility interview.
- Inland: A person already in Canada can submit a claim by visiting an IRCC office or by submitting forms online.
Eligibility screening
The initial eligibility decision is made by IRCC or CBSA based on:
- The claim is not made by a person already protected in another country.
- The Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) with the United States — most claims at the Canada-US land border are deemed ineligible if the claimant arrived from the US, with limited exceptions (family in Canada, public-interest claim, unaccompanied minor).
- The claimant is not subject to a removal order.
Ineligible claims are not heard by the Refugee Protection Division (RPD).
Refugee Protection Division (RPD) hearing
Eligible claims go to the RPD of the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB). The RPD is an independent administrative tribunal that conducts an oral hearing where the claimant testifies under oath about their fear of persecution.
Processing time has historically been 2 to 4 years; IRB has worked to reduce this with expedited streams for low-complexity cases.
Decisions
- Accepted: The claimant becomes a Protected Person and can apply for permanent residence.
- Refused: The claimant can appeal to the Refugee Appeal Division (RAD) within 15 days of the decision. If RAD also refuses, judicial review at the Federal Court is possible within 60 days.
- Withdrawn or abandoned: Other outcomes when the claimant does not pursue.
Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA)
Claimants whose refugee claims have been finally refused may be eligible for a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment before removal. PRRA is a paper-based review of new evidence of risk.
Permanent residence after protection
Accepted refugees and Protected Persons can apply for permanent residence. The application includes:
- Forms.
- Identity documents (often replaced by IRB-accepted alternatives if originals are unavailable).
- Medical exam.
- Police certificates from countries where the refugee lived (waived if not safely obtainable).
- Application fees: CAD $635 (regular processing) or fee-exempt for some categories.
PR processing for refugees typically takes 6 to 24 months depending on the stream.
Special temporary measures
Canada has periodically introduced special programs for specific crises:
- Ukraine — Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET), 2022 to 2023, with extensions for those already in Canada.
- Afghanistan — Special humanitarian programs for Afghans who assisted the Government of Canada and other vulnerable Afghans.
- Syria — 25,000 Syrian refugees resettled in 2015 to 2016.
- Sudan, Lebanon, Iran, Israel/West Bank/Gaza, Haiti, Venezuela — various special facilitation measures for in-Canada nationals affected by overseas conflicts or crises.
Key facts at a glance
- Two main pathways: overseas resettlement and in-Canada asylum.
- Overseas streams: GAR, PSR, BVOR.
- In-Canada hearings: at the IRB Refugee Protection Division.
- STCA: Most US-border claims are ineligible.
- Acceptance: Becomes Protected Person, eligible for PR.
- Appeal: Refugee Appeal Division within 15 days; Federal Court judicial review within 60 days.
- PR fees: CAD $635 (regular) or fee-exempt for some.
- Special pilots: Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot for skilled refugees.
Source attribution
This article rewrites public information published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada at https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/refugees.html. The original Government of Canada content is licensed under the Open Government Licence — Canada.
Verify on canada.ca
Refugee programs and special measures change frequently. Verify on canada.ca: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/refugees.html.
IRCC.com is an independent news and information aggregator. We are not affiliated with the Government of Canada and do not provide immigration services or advice. For personalized help, contact a CICC-licensed RCIC or a Canadian immigration lawyer.