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Former Old Country ceases to exist

Bittboy34

Full Member
Jul 6, 2017
36
16
Just a hypotethical question. A person immigrates to Canada as a Permanent Resident from a tropical island (state). 2 years later the state ceases to exist, as it is invaded by an agressor. What happens to that Permanent Resident, as he/she is now stateless, almost like abstract person?
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
92,541
20,360
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
Just a hypotethical question. A person immigrates to Canada as a Permanent Resident from a tropical island (state). 2 years later the state ceases to exist, as it is invaded by an agressor. What happens to that Permanent Resident, as he/she is now stateless, almost like abstract person?
They should apply for Canadian citizenship as soon as they have sufficient residency days so that they will no longer be stateless and can qualify for a Canadian passport.
 

hawk39

Hero Member
Mar 26, 2017
660
250
I think that if State A is taken over by State B, then citizens of former A would now be citizens of B, so the PR would now apply as a citizen of B. But if B invaded because it wants to "wipe A and its citizens off the map", then I think the PR would have a strong case to now apply as a refugee. Given Canada's history as a compassionate nation and as a signatory of the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness (even if the PR is over 21), I wouldn't be surprised if that PR was given an immediate grant of citizenship.
 

Buletruck

VIP Member
May 18, 2015
6,667
2,521
I think politically, it’s a little more complicated than that. If one country was invaded, it doesn’t just automatically cease to exist. The invading country would need to have its new territory recognized before you could claim it no longer exists (i.e. Netherlands and France during WW2 or East Timor when Indonesia invaded). A government in exile can still be recognized as the official government and hence, its countrymen are still citizens.
 

zardoz

VIP Member
Feb 2, 2013
13,304
2,166
Canada
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FAM
Visa Office......
London
App. Filed.......
16-02-2013
VISA ISSUED...
31-07-2013
LANDED..........
09-11-2013
I think that if State A is taken over by State B, then citizens of former A would now be citizens of B, so the PR would now apply as a citizen of B. But if B invaded because it wants to "wipe A and its citizens off the map", then I think the PR would have a strong case to now apply as a refugee. Given Canada's history as a compassionate nation and as a signatory of the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness (even if the PR is over 21), I wouldn't be surprised if that PR was given an immediate grant of citizenship.
I would be VERY surprised. You don't need to have citizenship to remain in Canada as a PR. There are lots of stateless refugees around the world and many in Canada, who are quite secure wherever they are currently resident.
 

mpottier

Star Member
Jan 23, 2011
67
3
Job Offer........
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In many cases countries have the ability for an individual to apply to be stateless, if this truly is the case. For example the UK: https://www.gov.uk/stay-in-uk-stateless

You are then given a document, that looks sort of like a passport that will allow you to travel to some degree. Canada does something similar. So essentially if are a PR, you may have to switch over. These are often case by case type situations.