Operational Bulletin 290 (expired) - April 18, 2011

This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.

This document has expired.

Amendment to procedures related to the handling of the Single Journey Document for Resettlement to Canada (IMM 5485)

Summary

To inform immigration officers at local Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) offices and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers at Ports of Entry (POE) of new procedures for handling the receipt of the Single Journey Document for Resettlement to Canada (IMM 5485), which is used only by persons who arrive to Canada as government-assisted refugees (GARs) and privately-sponsored refugees (PSRs).

Issue

The purpose of this Operational Bulletin (OB) is to inform immigration officers at local CIC offices and CBSA officers at POE of new procedures for handling the receipt of the Single Journey Document for Resettlement to Canada (IMM 5485), which is used only by persons who arrive to Canada as GARs and PSRs. This OB does not impact procedures for the Single Journey Travel Document (IMM 5565), which are described in RIL 05-028.

Background

Effective April 2005, the Admissibility Branch at National Headquarters (NHQ), which at the time had both an operational as well as a policy function, became responsible for the monitoring of the Single Journey Document for Resettlement to Canada (IMM 5485). This document has its authority based in Ministerial Instructions issued under A15(4) and is issued to GARs and PSRs as a valid travel document prior to their departure to Canada.

The Single Journey Document for Resettlement to Canada (IMM 5485) is a prescribed travel document for refugees departing for resettlement to Canada boarding commercial carriers.

Once the Single Journey Document for Resettlement to Canada (IMM 5485) is no longer needed, usually after issuance of a permanent resident card, a settlement officer at a local Citizenship and Immigration Centre or a private sponsor will retrieve it from the holder to remove it from circulation. These documents were directed to the Admissibility Branch.

Many of the local CICs keep copies of the Single Journey Document for Resettlement to Canada and place them on the client’s CIC file and send the originals to NHQ. This has proven useful, for example, when the client loses his or her permanent residence card and needs some identification with photograph to apply for a new card.

New procedures for handling the Single Journey Document for Resettlement to Canada (IMM 5485)

Effective immediately, once the Single Journey Document for Resettlement to Canada (IMM 5485) is no longer needed, usually after issuance of a permanent resident card, local CICs are instructed to retrieve the original from permanent residents resettled as GARs and place them on the client’s CIC file. Local CICs are also instructed to retrieve these documents from PSRs via their sponsors or from the refugees themselves, once they no longer need these for identification purposes and for placement on the sponsored refugee’s or sponsoring group’s file. As such, originals of the Single Journey Document for Resettlement to Canada will no longer be sent to NHQ. Local CICs should also enter a non-computer based status entry in FOSS indicating the document was taken from the client and placed on file.

Upon arrival in Canada, the POE examining officer must stamp the document and cancel the affixed visa. Given that this document is usually the only identification the new permanent resident has until receipt of a permanent resident card, it is normally returned to the client.

Next Steps

  • Modify the OP 5 for Overseas Selection and Processing of Convention Refugees Abroad Class and Members of the Humanitarian-Protected Persons Abroad Classes and the IP 3 for In-Canada Processing of Convention Refugees Abroad and Members of the Humanitarian-Protected Persons Abroad Classes to reflect these new procedures.
  • Modify the IMM 5485 so that the return address now reads: “Please return to your local Citizenship and Immigration Canada office.”

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