“Refugees are a driving force behind our society and economy,” says Immigration Minister
Today, Canada celebrated World Refugee Day, an international day organized every year on June 20 by the United Nations. On this day, Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, reaffirmed his commitment to keeping the borders open to those fleeing violence. He also invited Canadians to reflect on the values that make Canada a top destination for those searching for a better life.
“On World Refugee Day, we recognize people from around the world who are forced to leave their homes and communities in search of a better life. We honour their courage and bravery (…) here in Canada, we reaffirm our commitment to keeping our borders and hearts open to those fleeing violence and persecution.”
Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau.
Further, the Minister of Immigration, Sean Fraser, along with other ministers, issued the following statement:
In Canada, refugees are a driving force behind our society and economy, and our country has a proud, long-standing humanitarian tradition of being an international leader in resettlement and integration. We are proud of what we have accomplished so far, and we are determined to do more.
The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration
Canada welcomed 16,000 Afghans and over 43,000 Ukrainian nationals
According to the Prime Minsiter, Canada has one of the largest commitments in the world to resettle Afghan refugees. The country has welcomed over 16,000 Afghans since August 2021. Moreover, in response to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, Canada welcomed over 43,200 Ukrainian nationals.
In addition, the government continues to work closely with provinces, territories, and settlement organizations to support Ukrainians and their family members in Canada.
<<Also Read: Ukrainians in Canada can now apply to receive financial assistance>>
The world leader in refugee resettlement
According to the annual Global Trends Report released by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Canada was the largest receiver of resettled refugees in 2021. That year, the country welcomed 20,400 refugees. This is more than double the 9,200 resettlement arrivals in the previous year. “That makes it three years running that Canada is the global leader in resettlement,” said the UNHCR.
Resettled refugees arriving in Canada came primarily from:
- Afghanistan (6,100),
- Syria (4,200), and
- Eritrea (3,700).
“There is very little to cheer about in this report, but one bright spot is Canada’s record of welcoming refugees,” said Rema Jamous Imseis, UNHCR’s Representative in Canada.
You can read more about this and other leading resettlement countries in the following article:
About Refugee Resettlement in Canada
Each year, IRCC facilitates the admission of a targeted number of permanent residents under the refugee resettlement category. These are persons who are outside of their home country and are unable to return based on a well-founded fear of persecution. This persecution could be due several reasons such as race, religion, nationality, or membership in a particular social group or association with a political opinion. It also includes those who are outside their home country and have been seriously affected by civil war, armed conflict, and more.
<<Also Read: What is the settlement service most accessed by immigrants in Canada?>>
According to our CEO and RCIC, Al Parsai, one option for these people is to seek asylum through the UNHCR. In some exceptional cases, they may still resettle to Canada if they receive support from a private sponsorship group. Moreover, a successful resettlement process could lead to the permanent residency of Canada upon arrival.
If you want to learn more about refugee programs in Canada, please visit the following articles:
- Refugee Definition
- Refugee Resettlement Canada
- Claiming Refugee Status
- Who may not file for refugee in Canada
- Moving to Canada as a refugee
- Refugee Claims inside Canada? We could help!
Let us help!
If you are currently inside Canada and intend to file for refugee status, click here and fill out the form. Of course, if your intention is not to move to Canada as a refugee, fill out our assessment form. Alternatively, you can book a consultation session with Al Parsai for official advice.
You may click here to explore other immigration options to Canada.
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