Research: Refugee Rights

CPJ interviewed refugees who wished to share stories of how the burden of loans has affected their resettlement in Canada. Here’s what they had to say.

“The Most Vulnerable” examines how the federal Government, Churches, and Advocacy Groups can apply an intersectional approach to their respective areas of policy making and advocacy efforts.

“Reclaiming Protection” provides background on the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA), which has allowed the Canada Border Services Agency to return refugee claimants to the U.S. since December 2014. The policy is based on the premise that refugees should make their claim in the first “safe” country in which they arrive. But as anti-refugee policies continue to be introduced south of the border, there is much reason to believe that the U.S. is no longer a safe haven for many refugees.

This report examines the main policy challenges Sponsorship Agreement Holders (SAHs) face today. Drawing on the responses SAH representatives provided through interviews and a survey, this report highlights four main areas of concern: long wait times, wait times for non-Syrian applications, allocation limits, and travel loans.

This study demonstrates the severely negative effects that a minimum residency requirement for social assistance would have on refugee claimants in Canada. After conducting a survey of service providers who work directly with refugees as well as gathering personal testimonies from claimants, the report provides ample evidence that the policy would be inadvisable on economic, humanitarian, and legal grounds.

“Private Sponsorship and Public Policy” is a survey of church connected sponsorship agreements holders, those two assist refugees in their resettlement. It outlines their top concerns with government policy including wait times, health cuts, and consultation.