After living in Syria, Iraq and other locations in the Middle East for almost a decade, you may have questions about finding a way to get refugee status in Canada. You’re not alone. This is a new process with many rules and details that can be overwhelming. But it is possible to get refugee status under the current law as long as you are aware of some of the things ahead.

The Canadian government have positive outlook on refugees and consider them as a special group. The Canadian government have provided incentives to the immigrants of the world. The time has gone when there was no clear definition of the refugee status holders. A common man can easily understand the meaning of the term refugee without any knowledge of the law.

The refugee program in Canada is open for those who cannot get protection in the US. Canada accepts refugees based on humanitarian or compassionate grounds through an administrative and legal process that is often long, expensive and complex. As a result, refugee cases are seldom decided within the timelines required to obtain permanent residence visas through an application from inside Canada. It is therefore more likely to apply directly to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) while seeking asylum in another country.

Refugee Visa For Canada

A refugee is a person who has fled his or her home country and cannot return due to a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. If you are in Canada and thinking about leaving the country without disclosing information regarding your status to Canadian authorities then you may be facing penalties under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).

How long does it take a refugee to get to Canada after their sponsorship is approved?

It can take up to 4 months for a refugee to arrive in Canada after the sponsorship is approved. The process has 3 stages:

1. We process the sponsorship application in 1 week.
2. It can take up to 8 weeks for refugees to get their visas and exit permits, depending on where they are.
3. Refugees usually travel within 3 to 6 weeks of getting their travel documents.

In some cases, factors outside our control can delay a refugee’s travel to Canada, like if conditions inside the refugee’s country change unexpectedly.

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Answers others found useful

• Who is eligible for sponsorship under the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program?
• Who can sponsor a refugee?
• How long does it take before a privately sponsored refugee gets to Canada?
• Who decides whether a refugee can be sponsored and resettled?
• What kind of support do government-assisted refugees get?

 Glossary term

• Government-assisted refugee
• Member of the Convention Refugees Abroad Class
• Member of the Country of Asylum Class