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Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
October 2014 Canadian Council for Refugees
2
Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
Major themes
Shift in priorities to economic
Increase in precarious status
Restrictions for refugees
Emphasis on criminality and fraud
Economic priority
Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
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Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
Immigration categories: 1995
Economic Priorities
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
Family Refugees Economic
5
Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
Immigration categories: 2014 targets
Economic Priorities
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
140,000
160,000
Family Refugees Economic
6
Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
Immigration categories: 1995 vs. 2014
Economic Priorities
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
140,000
160,000
Family Refugees Economic
1995 2014
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Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
Priority to economic migration
Reflected (for example) in policy changes:
Sponsorship of parents and grandparents
Age of dependents from under 22 to under 19
Economic Priorities
Precarious status
Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
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Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
Precarious status
200,000
225,000
250,000
275,000
300,000
325,000
350,000
375,000
400,000
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Temporary Foreign Workers vs Permanent Residents
2009-2013
Foreign Workers Permanent residents
Migrant workers
10
Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
Precarious status
Vulnerable to exploitation and abuse due to:
lack of permanent status employer-specific work permits isolation lack of access to information on rights lack of monitoring no settlement services
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Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
Precarious status
Trafficked persons
New barriers to protection through a Temporary Resident Permit
Refugee claimants (one year ban) Designated Foreign Nationals (five year ban)
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Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
Precarious status
Conditional Permanent Residence
Regulatory change Oct 2012
Sponsored spouses/partners, together for less than 2 years (no children)
PR conditional for 2 years
Exception for abuse or neglect
13
Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
Precarious status
Cessation and loss of Permanent Residence
Since 2012, permanent residents who came as refugees lose their permanent residence if they are found to no longer need protection.
14
Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
Precarious status
Barriers to citizenship
0
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
300,000
350,000
400,000
450,000
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Citizenship applications
Applications Received New Citizens
Inventory
Prepared by Canadian Council for Refugees from CIC data
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Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
Precarious status
Barriers to citizenship
Slow processing – 24 months
Residence Questionnaire
New requirement – provide proof of competence in English/French
Increased fees – February 2014
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Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
Precarious status
Amendments to Citizenship Act
oApproved June 2014 oMost provisions not yet in
force oCitizenship “harder to get,
easier to lose”
Restrictions for refugees
Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
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Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
Restrictions for refugees
Refugee Health Care
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Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
Restrictions for refugees
Interim Federal Health Program
Cuts effective June 30, 2012
Affect resettled refugees, refugee claimants and others
Federal Court: cuts “cruel and unusual treatment” (July 2014)
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Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
Restrictions for refugees
Refugee claim system
Warning – EXTREME COMPLEXITY!
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Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
Restrictions for refugees
Changes to claims - Key features
Very short timelines Differential treatment Refugee appeal but bars on recourses
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Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
Restrictions for refugees
Drop in numbers of claims
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
40,000
45,000
50,000
1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Claims referred, 1989-2013
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Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
Restrictions for refugees
Refugee resettlement
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
40,000
45,000
The highs and lows of refugee resettlement to Canada
1979-2013
Gov't ass. Refugees Priv. Spons. Refugees
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Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
Restrictions for refugees
Changes in resettlement
Increased restrictions for private sponsors (but increased expectations) Ministerial priorities Focus on limited number of refugee populations Little response to Syrian crisis
Focus on fraud, criminality
Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
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Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
Focus on fraud, criminality
Permanent residence and criminality
Faster Removal of Foreign Criminals (C-43) June 2013 No right of appeal – 6 month sentence (previously 2 years)
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Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
Focus on fraud, criminality
Divisive rhetoric
Common themes: Fraud Criminality Queue-jumping Pitting Canadians against refugees
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Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
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Recent Changes in Refugee and Immigration Policy
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