Question Period Note: Refugee Resettlement

There are a growing number of refugees worldwide. The UN Refugee Agency has estimated that more than 2.4 million refugees will be in need of resettlement in 2024.

The world continues to face a refugee crisis and Canada will continue to be a leading example in refugee resettlement.

Through our refugee programs, Canada resettled over 20,400 refugees in 2021, and over 46,500 refugees in 2022. In 2023, Canada resettled over 51,000 refugees. This includes our significant commitment to resettle vulnerable Afghans.

In addition, Canada is using other innovative humanitarian pathways to support those in need of protection.

• In accordance with its annual Immigration Levels Plan, Canada accepts refugees as permanent residents under its Refugee Resettlement Program. As a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, Canada accepts refugees for humanitarian reasons to align with its international obligations, protect those in need and reunite refugee families.

• Resettled refugees are assessed and approved abroad, and granted permanent residence upon their arrival in Canada. Resettled refugees can be admitted to Canada via one of the following three core resettlement programs:

• Government-assisted refugees (GARs) are referred by a designated referral partner, such as the United Nations Refugee Agency, and government supported for the first year.

• Privately sponsored refugees (PSRs) are identified and supported by private sponsors in Canada.

• Blended visa office-referred (BVOR) refugees are referred by a designated referral partner and jointly supported by government and private sponsors.

• In 2023, Canada resettled 23,305 government-assisted refugees, 27,640 privately sponsored refugees and 180 blended-visa office referred refugees. In 2022, Canada resettled 23,900 government-assisted refugees, 22,500 privately sponsored refugees, and 100 blended-visa office referred refugees.

Resettlement commitments

• Canada is consistently one of the top resettlement countries. To deliver its core government-assisted refugees program, Canada relies on the UNHCR to identify and refer cases with the highest protection needs.
• In 2024, through its 2024-2026 multi-year resettlement commitments, Canada has committed to:
• Renew commitments to Africa and the Middle East (including Türkiye) regions, allocating 12,000 admissions to each region;
• Create a new commitment for Asia Pacific to address growing needs in the region (e.g., Rohingya and ongoing space for the resettlement of Afghans as referred by the UNHCR) by allocating 12,000 admissions; and
• Maintain the existing Americas commitment to resettle 4,000 refugees by 2028 at a pace of 750 individuals per year.

Afghanistan Commitment
• Canada has met its goal to welcome at least 40,000 refugees and vulnerable Afghans, which remains one of the largest commitments in the world. Over 45,800 Afghans are now building their new lives in Canada and making important contributions to their communities.

• We recognize however, that many applications from Afghans remain in process, and many of these individuals are facing a challenging humanitarian situation. We will continue to process eligible applications submitted under these programs on a priority basis.

Human Rights Defenders
• In 2023, IRCC doubled the number of refugee resettlement spaces dedicated to human rights defenders and their families to up to 500 persons each year.

• Between January 1 and November 30, 2023, 179 human rights defenders were resettled to Canada under this program. Given that the expansion to 500 dedicated resettlement spaces was only announced in July 2023, HRD arrivals in 2024 are expected to be higher.

• IRCC 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.

LGBTQI+ Refugees
• In 2023, Canada announced its new partnership with Rainbow Railroad to identify at-risk LGBTQI+ refugees and their families and refer them through the Government-Assisted Refugees Program. This partnership will help more LGBTQI+ individuals and their families find safety in Canada, and is in addition to LGBTQI+ refugees referred by the United Nations Refugee Agency.

• These initiatives are part of Canada’s ongoing and significant efforts to provide protection to LGBTQI+ and other vulnerable people around the world.

• Since 2011 Canada has been working with Rainbow Refugee Society to resettle LGBTQI+ refugees through the Private Sponsorship of Refugees program. Under this partnership, the Government of Canada provides the start-up expenses and 3 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.

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