CIMM – Question Period Note - Refugee Resettlement During COVID-19 – November 29, 2022

Date: Oct. 21, 2022
Classification:
Department: IRCC

Issue:

COVID-19 has impacted the ability of Canada and other countries to protect refugees through resettlement.

Proposed Response:

• The world is facing a refugee crisis and Canada will continue to do its part, as a global leader in refugee resettlement.
• Canada has a proud humanitarian tradition of protecting the world’s most vulnerable people and we continue to provide resettlement protection to those in need.
• In fact, Canada is a global leader in refugee resettlement and in 2021, was the largest receiver of resettled refugees as per the UNHCR’s Global Trends report.
• During the global pandemic Canada continued to be a strong resettlement country even as others reduced their number of arrivals. Through our refugee programs Canada was able to safely resettle 9,235 refugees in 2020 and over 20,400 refugees in 2021.

If pressed

More specifically, to date Canada has welcomed close to 23,000 vulnerable Afghans under all streams since August 2021.

The Government of Canada remains firm in its commitment to meet its existing refugee resettlement targets for 2022, as well as to resettle vulnerable Afghans to Canada.

Background:

• As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of temporary measures were implemented, including travel restrictions, to protect the health and safety of Canadians and reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Refugee resettlement to Canada in 2020 and 2021 was greatly affected by various factors including Canada’s travel restrictions, travel restrictions imposed by other governments, restrictions on domestic movements in the refugee’s country of residence/asylum, and operational constraints at IRCC offices overseas due to COVID-19 restrictions.

• Changes to Canada’s border restrictions in 2021, in particular the changes on June 21, 2021 that allowed all applicants for permanent residence, including refugees for resettlement, who had a valid Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) document, to enter Canada has a positive impact on resettlement travel to Canada. Prior to that, only persons who held a valid COPR issued on or before March 18, 2020, were exempt from Canada’s travel restrictions. Those who held a valid COPR issued after March 18, 2020, could only come to Canada if they met another exemption.
• Other factors also improved in 2021 including easing of travel restrictions overseas, increasing capacity of sponsors and service providers in Canada and processing improvements due to the implementation of new operational processes within the Department’s processing network.
• Overall, Canada reached its 2021 admissions target and welcomed more than 401,000 permanent residents. Through our refugee programs Canada was able to safely resettle over 20,400 refugees in 2021.
• IRCC continues to facilitate travel for all government-assisted and privately sponsored refugees where sufficient capacity to receive refugees in Canada is confirmed. IRCC also continues to expedite resettlement of refugees in need of urgent protection. Canada’s resettlement partners overseas play a key role in facilitating resettlement application processing overseas and assisting with arrangements for travel to Canada.
• Recognizing that some COVID-19 travel requirements are particularly challenging for resettled refugees, the Department worked closely with Health Canada to get an exemption to ArriveCan, which allowed IRCC to use an alternative process for refugees to provide the required information. As of October 1, 2022, the Government of Canada removed all existing COVID-19 travel requirements.
• IRCC is maintaining regular contact with service provider organizations and private sponsors in Canada to provide them with consistent information on federal policy responses to COVID-19, as well as to raise their awareness of resources and tools that are available in multiple languages, and guidance on counselling newcomers on COVID-19 measures. The Refugee Sponsorship Training Program (RSTP) has regular COVID-19 updates on its website, including RSTP services that are available virtually, as well as COVID-19 information in multiple languages.
• For resettled refugees already in Canada, service provider organizations are delivering a mix of in-person services and hybrid model services.
• Canada intends to uphold its international commitments, and will continue to facilitate refugee resettlement as conditions allow, which includes ensuring that there are appropriate measures in place to support the refugees upon arrival.

Afghanistan Commitment

• The Government of Canada also remains firm in its commitment to meet its existing refugee resettlement targets for 2022, as well as to resettle vulnerable Afghans to Canada. This is being done through several programs:
  • The Special Immigration Measures Program is for Afghan nationals, and their families, who assisted the Government of Canada.
  • A humanitarian program to resettle vulnerable Afghan nationals outside of Afghanistan including: women leaders; human rights defenders; persecuted religious or ethnic minorities; 2SLGBTQI+ individuals; and journalists and those who helped Canadian journalists.
  • A special family reunification program to help extended family members of former Afghan interpreters who came to Canada under programs in 2009 and 2012.
• IRCC is also prioritizing applications of eligible family members joining Afghans currently in Canada.
• Service provider organizations continue to host vaccine clinics (COVID-19 and other vaccines) at the temporary accommodation hotels.