CIMM – Refugee Resettlement – November 25, 2024

Key Facts and Figures

• This year’s Levels Plan includes an overall 14.6% reduction to admissions targets for resettled refugees over the next three years (2025-2027). This reflects a 22.1% reduction in the Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) target and no reduction to the Government-Assisted Refugee (GAR) target previously published for 2025 and 2026. It also reflects a 60% decrease in Blended Visa Office-Referred (BVOR) admissions; as this is a small program, which historically has not met its annual targets, it is not anticipated that this reduction will have a significant impact.

Key Messages

• Canada is a global leader in refugee resettlement. With these targets, Canada will remain in the top three resettlement countries around the world (with the United States and Australia).
• While there have been reductions to refugee targets, this is consistent with the broader downward trend in this year’s Levels Plan for all immigration categories.
• To demonstrate Canada’s continued commitment to helping the world’s most vulnerable, Canada’s GAR targets do not decrease compared to the targets previously set in last year’s plan. This includes ongoing work towards meeting existing 2024-2026 multi-year resettlement commitments to resettle 12,000 persons each from Africa, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific regions, and 4,000 persons from the Americas by 2028.
• At the 2023 Global Refugee Forum, Canada made a number of resettlement and protection pledges, which will be upheld under this Levels Plan. This includes resettling populations at risk, including Human Rights Defenders, Rohingya refugees, and refugees from the Americas. We will also uphold our commitment to resettle family members and extended family members of Yazidi refugees resettled to Canada, and LGBTQI+ refugees, and to offer a permanent pathway to Canada for Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims.
• Canada will also continue to welcome refugees sponsored by private groups and community-based partners, but at sustainable levels that align with the capacity of our partners and communities across Canada. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will continue to engage and work closely with all our partners and stakeholders as they adjust their operations to meet these new targets.

Supplementary Information

Resettlement of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims (Motion 62)

• The Government of Canada is deeply concerned about the serious human rights violations in Xinjiang affecting Uyghurs and Turkic Muslims. Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims who have fled China may still face threats, including the risk of forced return, or refoulement.
• Canada is offering safe haven to Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims who are living in third countries and are in need of protection.
• Our first priority is the safety of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims. As such, we are unable to provide any further information about our resettlement operational efforts as it could put these vulnerable people at further risk.

If pressed on why no clients have landed in Canada yet:

• [REDACTED]
• IRCC is processing applications with a view to landing individuals in Canada as soon as possible.

Resettlement of Yazidis and other survivors of Daesh

• Under this Levels Plan, the Government is maintaining its most recent commitment to resettle family members and extended family members of Yazidi and other survivors of Daesh already in Canada, to further support their integration and settlement in Canada and for them to continue to recover from the trauma they have faced.
• Since 2017, the Government has welcomed more than 1,400 Yazidis and survivors of Daesh and their family members to Canada. Yazidi families in Canada are generally integrating well. However, many continue to struggle with being separated from members of their family.
• In December 2023, a new temporary public policy to reunite Yazidis and survivors of Daesh, who were already resettled to Canada, with their eligible family members, extended family members and de facto dependents living in Iraq, came into effect. 400 principal applicants along with their family members will be welcomed under this public policy as GARs.

If pressed on Yazidi admissions:

• We expect to resettle up to 400 principal applicants and their family/extended family members by the end of 2026.

Human Rights Defenders (HRD)

• In 2023, IRCC doubled the number of refugee resettlement spaces dedicated to human rights defenders and their families, to up to 500 persons. IRCC partners with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) , ProtectDefenders.eu, and FrontLine Defenders to deliver this initiative.
• Under this Levels Plan, the Government is maintaining this important program and will continue to work closely with experts on international protection, including in civil society, to identify and reach the defenders most in need of Canada’s protection.
• In 2023, the first year of the expanded commitment to human rights defenders, 210 persons were resettled under this program.

If pressed on HRD admissions:

• As of October 31, 2024 IRCC resettled approximately 300 HRDs.

LGBTQI+ resettlement

• In 2023, Canada announced its new partnership with Rainbow Railroad to identify at-risk LGBTQI+ refugees and their families and refer them through the GAR program. This partnership is helping more LGBTQI+ individuals and their families find safety in Canada, and is in addition to LGBTQI+ refugees referred by the United Nations Refugee Agency and other referral partners. Under this partnership, Rainbow Railroad refers up to 250 LGBTQI+ individuals, including family members, to Canada per year.
• Since 2011, Canada has been working with Rainbow Refugee Society to resettle LGBTQI+ refugees through the PSR program. Under this partnership, the Government of Canada provides the start-up expenses and three months of income support for up to 50 privately sponsored refugee cases each year, while the remaining income and settlement support is provided by the sponsoring group. As of October 31, 2024, approximately 335 refugees have arrived through this initiative.
• Under this Levels Plan, the government is maintaining these important initiatives that are a part of Canada’s ongoing and significant efforts to provide protection to LGBTQI+ individuals and other vulnerable populations around the world.

If pressed on Rainbow Railroad admissions:

• In spring 2024, the government finalized an arrangement with Rainbow Railroad, which was a necessary step before the organization could begin providing referrals under this program.
• To date in 2024, we have resettled around 15 individuals referred by Rainbow Railroad.
• IRCC continues to resettle LGBTQI+ refugees referred by other partners, including the UNHCR. This data is not available because IRCC does not track cases based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity, religion or SOGIE (sex, sexual orientation and gender identity and expression).

Global Refugee Forum Commitments

• In December 2023, Canada participated in the second Global Refugee Forum to chart progress to date since the 2019 Forum and drive future action on the Global Compact on Refugees.
• Canada demonstrated leadership at the forum through 40 pledges in the areas of refugee resettlement, education, meaningful refugee participation, asylum and protection capacity building, community sponsorship, and refugee labour mobility. We are continuing to deliver on these pledges through the 2025-2027 Levels Plan.
• Canada reinforces, through its statements and programming, its commitment to the ongoing protection of LGBTQI+ refugees.
• In 2019, Canada made 14 pledges. In 2024, Canada has fulfilled 11 out of 14 of our 2019 pledges, with the remaining three pledges directed to ongoing programming in the key areas of asylum capacity building, settlement and integration of newcomers, and the continuing Rainbow Refugee Assistance Partnership.

Processing Times

• Aligned with Canada’s commitments, in 2024 IRCC made significant progress in processing older applications to contribute to efforts to reduce regional disparities in processing times – particularly Africa. We will continue to make efforts to address this issue moving forward.
• The current processing time for GAR applications overall is 32 months, and 45 months in Africa. Overall processing time for PSR applications is 40 months, and 41 months for Africa.

If pressed on impacts on cases in Africa:

• Canada has focused additional capacity to support processing and movement of applicants in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the majority of PSRs reside.
• By leveraging available resources across the processing network, introducing surge capacity and organizing charter flights where feasible, the efforts have resulted in movement of thousands of additional applicants over the past two years.

In-Canada Supports for refugees

• To support GARs and other eligible clients, IRCC funds immediate and essential services under the Resettlement Assistance Program. These services include supports such as temporary accommodation, assistance finding permanent accommodation, and providing basic orientation to Canada. Eligible clients may also receive income support, which includes a one-time start-up payment to help clients set up a new home, as well as monthly income support generally for one year for shelter and other basic needs.
• As permanent residents, all resettled refugees are also eligible to receive longer-term settlement services through IRCC’s Settlement Program.