image-13 Refugee Protection in Canada: Asylum Process and Requirements

Refugee protection in Canada

Asking for refugee protection (asylum) in Canada

Claiming asylum means asking Canada for protection because it’s not safe for you in your own country. Asylum is another word for protection and “claiming asylum” means asking for refugee protection.

You may be able to ask for refugee protection if you can prove that returning to your home country will mean

  • a danger of torture
  • a risk to your life
  • a risk of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment

Claiming refugee protection (asylum) from within Canada

You may be able to make a claim for refugee protection if you are already in Canada.

Claiming asylum in Canada

Claiming refugee protection (asylum) at the border

You may be able to make a claim for refugee protection at any port of entry when you arrive in Canada. Port of entry means an airport, seaport or land border, and is considered to be in Canada.

Claiming asylum in Canada

Refugees resettled from outside of Canada

Refugee resettlement

Refugee resettlement is a program for people who are outside of Canada and are referred to move to Canada as refugees by the United Nations Refugee Agency, a designated referral organization or a private sponsor.

You can’t apply to be moved to Canada as a refugee unless you are referred.

Learn about refugee resettlement

How privately sponsoring a refugee works

Video: A Refugee’s Resettlement Journey to Canada

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Transcript

Find out what it’s like to resettle to Canada.

This video is also available in HD on YouTube.

The Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) program lets private groups sponsor eligible refugees abroad. As the private sponsor, you’ll support a refugee for the sponsorship period, usually up to 1 year. The support you provide will include

  • start-up costs, such as furniture and clothing
  • on-going monthly costs for basic necessities, including housing, food, and public transportation
  • supporting refugees socially and emotionally

Groups that can sponsor refugees

You can’t sponsor a refugee on your own. You must be part of one of the following groups in Canada:

  • Sponsorship agreement holders (SAH) sign agreements with the Government of Canada to help support refugees when they come to Canada
    • Constituent Groups are groups who work with SAHs to sponsor refugees under the SAH’s agreement
  • Groups of Five are groups of 5 or more Canadian citizens or permanent residents who sponsor refugees to settle in their communities
  • Community Sponsors are organizations, associations or corporations that sponsor refugees

Assessing refugee sponsorship groups

We assess and monitor all refugee sponsorship groups to make sure they meet their responsibilities. Find out how we assess groups and how SAHs assess themselves.

Refugee sponsors in Quebec

Quebec has its own process to sponsor refugees. Learn how to sponsor a refugee in Quebec.

Decide which refugees to sponsor

There are different ways to sponsor a refugee depending on how you choose them.

Choose from a list of refugees we’ve already approved to come to Canada

The Blended Visa Office-Referred (BVOR) program helps your group sponsor refugees who are most in need while lowering the costs of sponsorship.

The BVOR program has 3 main benefits:

  • reduces the financial burden on private sponsors
  • prioritizes the most vulnerable refugees through referral organizations
  • connects sponsors with refugees we’ve already screened and interviewed, making them ready to travel sooner

Learn more

The Joint Assistance Sponsorship (JAS) Program helps your group sponsor refugees with special needs.

Only SAHs and their Constituent Groups are eligible to sponsor through the JAS program.

With the JAS program

  • sponsors must support refugees for up to 24 months
  • the Government of Canada provides financial assistance

Sponsor a refugee you know

You can sponsor a specific refugee or refugee family. The person your group wants to sponsor must be eligible under the PSR program.

If you choose to sponsor a refugee you know

  • the processing time may be longer than if you sponsor a refugee we’ve already reviewed
  • you won’t get financial assistance from the Government of Canada

The process depends on the type of sponsorship group you are:

How we process sponsorship applications

When we process applications to resettle a privately sponsored refugee, we review the:

  1. sponsor’s application
  2. refugee’s application

Find out more about how the process works.

All SAHs must now complete an organizational assessment

Sponsorship agreement holders (SAHs) must complete and submit an organizational assessment template. The checklist, guide and template are only available during the assessment window. This happens every 5 years, starting in 2022. You must submit this template to be able to renew your agreement. Learn more about this assessment.

Becoming a Sponsorship Agreement Holder

We sign sponsorship agreements with organizations that help refugees resettle in Canada. We call these organizations Sponsorship Agreement Holders (SAHs).

They’re often religious, ethnic, community or humanitarian organizations. 

SAHs support refugees they sponsor either

  • on their own
  • by working with other groups or individuals, called “constituent groups” (CGs) or “co-sponsors”

When you can apply

 July 5 to October 4, 2024

We only accept applications during 1 period each year.

When working with CGs or co-sponsors, SAHs

  • decide how the relationship should work and what criteria CGs and co-sponsors need to meet
  • must monitor the performance of CGs and co-sponsors and their sponsorship activities

SAHs are ultimately responsible for each refugee sponsored under their agreement.

SAHs have a number of financial and legal responsibilities. They must

  • be based in, or have representatives in, the community where they resettle refugees
  • oversee all sponsorships under their agreement, even if CGs or co-sponsors are participating
  • ensure the refugees they sponsor have what they need to live safely and independently in Canada
  • participate in ongoing training to stay up to date on program requirements

Read the full list of SAH responsibilities.

In their first agreement, new SAHs will

Understanding the sponsorship agreement

The sponsorship agreement outlines what you’re committing to when your organization becomes a SAH. Some of these commitments include

  • financially supporting refugees during their sponsorship
  • providing settlement services to sponsored refugees, including helping them adjust to life in their new community
  • overseeing any co-sponsors, CGs or volunteers you choose to work with

You can read the current version of the sponsorship agreement (PDF, 610 KB) before joining the program.

To get the sponsorship agreement in another format, email us at IRCC.RASOPSR-PPPROSRA.IRCC@cic.gc.ca

Make sure you understand your responsibilities as a SAH. Your agreement could be impacted if you don’t meet your responsibilities.

Being an effective sponsorship agreement holder

Not all organizations have the resources and support network they need to become SAHs. Make sure you have everything you need to be an effective SAH before you apply.

We assess and monitor sponsorship groups, including SAHs, regularly to make sure you’re fully supporting the refugees you’re sponsoring. This includes occasionally checking in with the refugees you’re sponsoring.

Sponsor a refugee

A group of five (G5) is 5 or more Canadian citizens or permanent residents who have arranged to sponsor a refugee living abroad to come to Canada.

G5s can only sponsor applicants who are recognized as refugees by either

  • the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) or
  • the government of the country (foreign state) where the refugee lives

The principal applicant must already have refugee status. Having refugee status means that an authorized body (the UNHCR or foreign state) has found the person meets its refugee definition.

You must include the document proving recognized refugee status with the refugee sponsorship application you submit.

For more information, see the Guide to the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program.

Know your responsibilities as a sponsor

Make sure you know the responsibilities you must meet as a sponsor. We assess and monitor sponsorship groups regularly to make sure you’re fully supporting the refugees you’re sponsoring. This includes occasionally checking in with the refugees you’re sponsoring

Sponsor a refugee

Some community organizations can sponsor refugees to come to Canada.

The organization must agree to give emotional and income support to the refugees for the full sponsorship period. This is usually 1 year.

Community sponsors can only sponsor applicants who are recognized as refugees by either

  • the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) or
  • the government of the country (foreign state) where the refugee lives

The principal applicant must already have refugee status. Having refugee status means that an authorized body (the UNHCR or foreign state) has recognized the principal applicant as a refugee.

You must include the proof of refugee status with your sponsorship application.

Know your responsibilities as a sponsor

Make sure you know the responsibilities you must meet as a sponsor. We assess and monitor sponsorship groups regularly to make sure you’re fully supporting the refugees you’re sponsoring. This includes occasionally checking in with the refugees you’re sponsoring.

Sponsor a refugee with special needs

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) sometimes partners with organizations to resettle refugees with special needs. This program is called Joint Assistance Sponsorship (JAS).

Refugees with special needs may need more support than other refugees to settle in Canada. Special needs may be:

  • trauma from violence or torture,
  • medical disabilities,
  • the effects of systemic discrimination, or
  • a large number of family members.

Under the JAS program, the government and a private sponsor support refugees for up to 24 months, depending on the case. In a few cases, the private sponsor may support refugees for up to 36 months.

These refugees get income support from the Government of Canada for:

  • food,
  • shelter,
  • clothing, and
  • basic household goods.

They are also matched with a private sponsorship group. The sponsorship group helps refugees adjust to life in Canada by giving them settlement help and emotional support.

The Blended Visa Office-Referred (BVOR) Program gives Canadians and permanent residents a chance to play a key role in helping refugees in need of resettlement. Through this program, Canadian citizens and permanent residents can

To help refugees start their new lives in Canada, private sponsors commit to providing

  • 6 months of financial support and
  • 12 months of social, emotional and settlement support

The Government of Canada provides the other 6 months of financial support.

Why sponsor through BVOR?

Sponsoring through the BVOR program

  • invigorates and enhances our communities and
  • allows Canadians to
    • have a direct impact on their communities
    • contribute to global efforts to help refugees in need of protection

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

Refugee and Humanitarian Resettlement Program

Refugees who come to Canada have left their homes, and in many cases, they have lived 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, identifies 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 do not generally sponsor refugees on an ongoing basis.

The Blended Visa Office-Referred (BVOR) Program matches refugees identified by the UNHCR with private sponsors in Canada.

Under our laws, we must carefully screen all resettlement cases. This makes sure that there are no issues related to security, criminality, or health. We work with our security partners to complete this work as quickly as possible.

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.

Refugee Appeal Division

The Refugee Appeal Division gives people whose refugee claims were rejected a chance to prove that the decision was wrong and introduce new evidence.

Not all claimants are eligible to make an appeal.

Integration services

Refugees often need help to settle. This is true whether they are resettled from overseas or granted protection in Canada. The Government of Canada works with many partners and stakeholders to provide many types settlement services. These services help refugees adjust to life in Canada.

Help finding where refugees will live in Canada

We work closely with offices abroad to learn about the background and unique needs of government-assisted refugees coming to Canada.

We decide which city will best suit each refugee’s needs, based on things like:

  • the language they speak
  • where family and friends live in Canada
  • ethnic, cultural and religious communities in the area
  • medical needs
  • availability of settlement services

Protecting children from abuse and exploitation

Children who are not in the care of a parent and come to Canada as refugees can be vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. The Guardianship Protocol sets out procedures our officers must follow in these situations.

Help for resettled refugees

Under the Resettlement Assistance Program, the Government of Canada or Province of Quebec helps government-assisted refugees with essential services and income support once they are in Canada. This helps them to settle.

The refugee gets this income support for up to one year or until they can support themselves, whichever comes first. Canada provides Resettlement Assistance Program income support to eligible clients who cannot pay for their own basic needs.

Basic social assistance rates in each province and territory help guide the amount of money refugees get for shelter, food and other things.

The Resettlement Assistance Program also provides these services during the first four to six weeks after clients get to Canada:

  • welcoming them at the airport or other port of entry
  • helping to find a temporary place to live
  • helping to find a permanent place to live
  • assessing their needs
  • information and help getting to know Canada, and
  • referrals to other federal and provincial programs, and to other settlement services.

Private sponsors must provide financial and emotional support to any refugees they sponsor:

  • for the length of the sponsorship period, or
  • until the refugee can support themselves, if this happens during that period

The sponsor’s support includes help with housing, clothing and food. Most sponsorships last for one year, but some refugees may be able to get help from their sponsors for up to three years.

Blended visa office-referred refugees get six months of Resettlement Assistance Program income support. Private sponsors give up to six months of financial support and up to a year of social and emotional support.

Help for all newcomers, including refugees

We also fund a settlement program that helps newcomers settle and adapt to life in Canada. To deliver these services, we work with:

  • provinces and territories
  • service provider organizations, and
  • other partners and stakeholders.

These services include helping newcomers:

  • know their settlement needs and link them to services in their community
  • better understand life in Canada and make informed decisions (this includes the Canadian Orientation Abroad program, which is provided overseas and gives general information about life in Canada)
  • get language training in English and French, so they have the skills to live in Canada
  • search for and find jobs
  • build community networks with long-time Canadians and established immigrants, and
  • access support services which help with:
    • childcare
    • using transportation
    • finding translation and interpretation services
    • finding resources for people with disabilities, and
    • accessing short-term/crisis counselling if needed.

Access to settlement services continues until individuals become Canadian citizens.

Asylum claimants processed by year

About this data

This data should not be used as an indication of the number of asylum claimants presently residing in a province or territory. The table pulls data on number of asylum claimants who have submitted a valid claim by year and province of claim. The data may include individuals who have claimed asylum and since obtained a referral to the IRB, have become protected persons (as defined by the IRB), or have since become a permanent resident in the year in which their asylum claim was made.

Given the number of border interceptions currently being processed, there is a delay in asylum claimant application information appearing in our system. As determinations are made that those crossing the border are eligible to make an asylum claim, that information is entered into our system and is reflected in the asylum data that is published monthly to our website. Application information is backdated, as appropriate, as it is entered into the system.

Therefore, the data posted to the IRCC website is considered preliminary and subject to change. Updated data for previous months is published to our website on a monthly basis as it becomes available and according to the monthly data release schedule.

Key figures on asylum claims made in Canada

Individuals can make an asylum claim upon arrival at a port of entry in Canada or online if they’re already in Canada. Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) or Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) officials will then determine if an individual is eligible to make an asylum claim.

If the claimant is determined to be eligible, it will be referred to the Refugee Protection Division of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) for a hearing. In making its decisions, the IRB considers whether the claimant meets the United Nations definition of a Convention refugee, which has been adopted into Canadian law, or is a person in need of protection. Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, every person who wants to enter Canada must appear for an examination at a port of entry in order for government officials to determine whether that person has a right to enter Canada, or if the individual may become authorized to enter and remain in Canada.

The CBSA and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) play a key role in protecting Canada’s border. They deter and intercept illegal entry to Canada and keep Canadians safe. CBSA, the RCMP and their domestic and international partners work together to intercept individuals who enter Canada illegally. No enforcement actions are taken against people seeking asylum as per section 133 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. The RCMP is responsible for border security in between ports of entry. The CBSA is responsible for border security at ports of entry and inland.

IRCC’s role in this process is to develop and implement policies, programs and services that facilitate the legitimate arrival of people and their integration into Canada in a way that maximizes their contribution to the country, while protecting the health, safety and security of Canadians.

Backgrounder: Claiming asylum in Canada – what happens?

Refugee protection claims statistics (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada)

Irregular border crossings and asylum in Canada

We are working to protect the integrity of our border and the security of our country while providing refuge to people in need of protection.

When asylum seekers come to Canada and ask for protection, we apply our strict policies and procedures to each case.