Refugee claims in Canada—Pre-removal risk assessment
Canada is committed to ensuring that people being removed from Canada are not sent to a country where they would be in danger or at risk of persecution.
If you are told to leave Canada, you will be given a notice that the removal order is being enforced. At that time, if you are eligible, you will be given the opportunity to apply for a pre-removal risk assessment (PRRA). If you apply, an officer will review your application, as well as documents and other evidence you provide in support of it. If you previously made a refugee claim, the officer will limit their consideration to new evidence, or that which you were not able to present at your refugee hearing. You may be asked to attend an interview. If you are eligible to apply for a PRRA, you will be given an application form and guide. You will have fifteen (15) days in which to apply.
When you receive your PRRA forms, your removal order is suspended for 15 days. This suspension will remain in effect until:
- you notify Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) that you do not intend to apply for a PRRA, or you abandon or withdraw your application;
- the 15-day application deadline passes; or
- you apply for a PRRA and your application is rejected.
Note: If the PRRA application forms are mailed to you, you will be given an additional seven (7) days in which to apply.
In support of your application, you will be able to submit written evidence to help explain the risk that you would face if removed from Canada.
In reviewing your case, the officer will consider:
- risk of persecution as defined in the Geneva Convention;
- risk of torture; and
- risk to your life or the risk that you may be subjected to cruel and unusual treatment or punishment.
Some people are not eligible
Some people are not eligible for a PRRA. You will not be eligible if you are:
- subject to extradition (extradition is a formal request that Canada return you to another country because you are a suspected or convicted criminal);
- ineligible for a hearing at the Immigration and Refugee Board because you came to Canada from a safe third country (find information about the Safe Third Country Agreement in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page);
- a repeat refugee claimant or PRRA applicant, where less than six months have passed since you left Canada after your removal order came into force;
- already recognized as a protected person or
- recognized as a Convention refugee by a country to which you can return.
If your application is accepted
If the PRRA officer accepts your application, you may receive the status of “protected person.” This means you can stay in Canada and you can apply to become a permanent resident. You can find out more about becoming a permanent resident of Canada in the I Need To… section on the right-hand side of this page.
If your application is rejected
If the PRRA officer rejects your application, you will receive a written notice. Your removal order comes into effect again and you may receive a reasonable period of time to ensure your departure from Canada. If your application is rejected, you may apply to the Federal Court of Canada for a review of the PRRA officer’s decision. You can find more information on appeals to the Federal Court in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page.