Refugee Stream for Human Rights Defenders

[newstartC]

I just saw this news and I am not sure whether we have people here are at the same situation as me.


I was a human rights defender in my country helping refugee children and helping native people to preserve their culture. My work got government attention and I got threatened by the police, so I flee to Canada with my family. Because we still have family members back in our country, we were too scared to file the refugee application when we first landed and we were worried that our government would go after our family members.
This changed after my co-worker got killed by the government, I have no other choices other than file the refugee application as I can't go back to my own country for sure.

Now my question is how to be qualified for this stream?

From the news, https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2021/07/minister-mendicino-launches-a-dedicated-refugee-stream-for-human-rights-defenders.html

" The Government of Canada will work with Front Line Defenders and ProtectDefenders.eu, alongside other Canadian and international partners, including the United Nations Refugee Agency, to identify human rights defenders who face security risks and are in need of resettlement, and to find solutions for human rights defenders in need of protection."

Does this mean I have to contact these organizations? My case is too sensitive and even my lawyer told me he can't guarantee whether my info will be shared with my government or not if I contact those organizations.

Everything is so risky.

 

[MZHSECA]

This is very hard to know.You should talk to IRB directly about your privacy concerns through your lawyer.It also depends on how successful is the security service/intelligence service of your home country in tracking and identifying political dissidents abroad through intelligence collection and monitoring mechanisms.

 

[scylla]

I just saw this news and I am not sure whether we have people here are at the same situation as me.


I was a human rights defender in my country helping refugee children and helping native people to preserve their culture. My work got government attention and I got threatened by the police, so I flee to Canada with my family. Because we still have family members back in our country, we were too scared to file the refugee application when we first landed and we were worried that our government would go after our family members.
This changed after my co-worker got killed by the government, I have no other choices other than file the refugee application as I can't go back to my own country for sure.

Now my question is how to be qualified for this stream?

From the news, https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2021/07/minister-mendicino-launches-a-dedicated-refugee-stream-for-human-rights-defenders.html

" The Government of Canada will work with Front Line Defenders and ProtectDefenders.eu, alongside other Canadian and international partners, including the United Nations Refugee Agency, to identify human rights defenders who face security risks and are in need of resettlement, and to find solutions for human rights defenders in need of protection."

Does this mean I have to contact these organizations? My case is too sensitive and even my lawyer told me he can't guarantee whether my info will be shared with my government or not if I contact those organizations.

Everything is so risky.

See the details here. You can't apply directly to IRCC for this program. You must also be outside of your home country and unable to return. Hope these details help.

To be considered for this stream, individuals must be referred to the Government of Canada by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). To reach human rights defenders most in need of protection, the Government of Canada is working with Front Line Defenders and ProtectDefenders.eu, leading experts in the field of protection for human rights defenders. These organizations will work together with the UNHCR to identify human rights defenders most in need of resettlement.

Individuals must also meet all admissibility requirements, including security screening and medical examinations to enter Canada. In addition, they must be Convention refugees, which means that they are:

• outside their home country and
• cannot return to their home country due to a well-founded fear of persecution

Individuals cannot apply directly for resettlement or make a claim at a Canadian mission or embassy.
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2021/07/providing-protection-to-human-rights-defenders-at-risk.html

 

[newstartC]

This is very hard to know.You should talk to IRB directly about your privacy concerns through your lawyer.It also depends on how successful is the security service/intelligence service of your home country in tracking and identifying political dissidents abroad through intelligence collection and monitoring mechanisms.

Thank you for your suggestions. I'll send IRB a message through Epost to ask directly. I am aware my home country government is tracking people abroad. And I am probably on the list as my parents are refused to renew their passport. All I do now to keep my family members still in my home country safe is to be quiet in front of media and public. : (

 

[newstartC]

See the details here. You can't apply directly to IRCC for this program. You must also be outside of your home country and unable to return. Hope these details help.

To be considered for this stream, individuals must be referred to the Government of Canada by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). To reach human rights defenders most in need of protection, the Government of Canada is working with Front Line Defenders and ProtectDefenders.eu, leading experts in the field of protection for human rights defenders. These organizations will work together with the UNHCR to identify human rights defenders most in need of resettlement.

Individuals must also meet all admissibility requirements, including security screening and medical examinations to enter Canada. In addition, they must be Convention refugees, which means that they are:

• outside their home country and
• cannot return to their home country due to a well-founded fear of persecution

Individuals cannot apply directly for resettlement or make a claim at a Canadian mission or embassy.
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2021/07/providing-protection-to-human-rights-defenders-at-risk.html

Thank you for doing the research for me. I am currently in Canada. My question is should I contact UNHCR, Front Line Defenders and ProtectDefenders.eu. But like @MZHSECA suggested, I probably should ask IRB directly whether the partner organizations would keep my info confidential or not.

 

[MZHSECA]

Thank you for doing the research for me. I am currently in Canada. My question is should I contact UNHCR, Front Line Defenders and ProtectDefenders.eu. But like @MZHSECA suggested, I probably should ask IRB directly whether the partner organizations would keep my info confidential or not.

https://help.unhcr.org/canada/about-unhcr-in-canada/

This is website of UNHCR in Canada.Also about referral,regarding this new immigration stream,to be referred by UNHCR,an individual must have been successfully given refugee status by national government of a particular country.

There are some exceptions in certain countries,like India,where it is local UNHCR office,which does refugee status determination,of an individual,but not the national government.

So,UNHCR office in Canada can only assist with your asylum claim,but cannot declare you a refugee .Since you have already reached Canada,referral,to my knowledge is not possible.For any individual in Canada,only IRB can give refugee status.

Let me give you an example,how referral process works for Canada.

For example,an individual flees from 'Syria' because of war and reaches 'Jordan' for safety,gets refugee status,gets referred by UNHCR local office in Jordan for resettlement in Canada.

UNHCR office in Canada contacts Canadian government,the person then files an application for 'Convention Refugee Abroad' class visa at Canadian Embassy in Jordan to IRCC Canada,gets visa approved and reaches Canada.

IRB Canada will not interview that person after reaching Canada because of refugee status from Jordan.

Till date,this is how UNHCR referral has worked so far for Canada.I do not think that this new immigration stream is any different than the others before.

You are free to contact UNHCR in Canada from their website.

 

[scylla]

https://help.unhcr.org/canada/about-unhcr-in-canada/

This is website of UNHCR in Canada.Also about referral,regarding this new immigration stream,to be referred by UNHCR,an individual must have been successfully given refugee status by national government of a particular country.

There are some exceptions in certain countries,like India,where it is local UNHCR office,which does refugee status determination,of an individual,but not the national government.

So,UNHCR office in Canada can only assist with your asylum claim,but cannot declare you a refugee .Since you have already reached Canada,referral,to my knowledge is not possible.For any individual in Canada,only IRB can give refugee status.

Let me give you an example,how referral process works for Canada.

For example,an individual flees from 'Syria' because of war and reaches 'Jordan' for safety,gets refugee status,gets referred by UNHCR local office in Jordan for resettlement in Canada.

UNHCR office in Canada contacts Canadian government,the person then files an application for 'Convention Refugee Abroad' class visa at Canadian Embassy in Jordan to IRCC Canada,gets visa approved and reaches Canada.

IRB Canada will not interview that person after reaching Canada because of refugee status from Jordan.

Till date,this is how UNHCR referral has worked so far for Canada.I do not think that this new immigration stream is any different than the others before.

You are free to contact UNHCR in Canada from their website.

I agree with this. I think this stream is not an option for anyone in Canada.

I think it's meant for individuals who are outside of Canada only.

If someone is already in Canada, they would claim refugee status in Canada if they want to remain.

 

[scylla]

Thank you for doing the research for me. I am currently in Canada. My question is should I contact UNHCR, Front Line Defenders and ProtectDefenders.eu. But like @MZHSECA suggested, I probably should ask IRB directly whether the partner organizations would keep my info confidential or not.

Sorry - I missed that you were already in Canada.

I don't think this program is an option for you if you are already in Canada. It's means for individuals outside of Canada who have no means of reaching Canada. If you are already in Canada and want protection, it's expected that you submit a within Canada refugee application through the old / existing program.

See MZHSECA's detailed post above. I agree with this based on the program details we know so far.