Just had a thought, while I was reading the UK Home Office country of origin information documents.
What if the IRB/RPD had a mandate to assess humanitarian grounds at the time of the refugee claim?
As it stands, individuals enter Canada and make a refugee claim which is heard in 18-24 months. After refusal, they can "appeal" the decision to the Federal Court, but generally file a humanitarian and compassionate application. This application is taking over 3 years to be determined in Alberta. Sometime during this process, the individual is presented with a PRRA - a risk assessment that takes place before removal. The success rate for this is low. The individual is therefore in Canada for years (perhaps more than 5) during which the refugee claim and H&C and PRRA are decided and before removal.
It's obviously hard on the individual to be removed after years and settling down in Canada, and would be more efficient that one process and one decision maker determines the substantive merits of granting status through the refugee/humanitarian route. This may result in a higher acceptance rate by the Board (but that would reflect a determination on both risk and humanitarian issues), but would address the concerns that individuals are exploiting the refugee and immigration process in Canada for economic reasons.
Either for economic reason or refugee claim Canadian immigration is successful,one decision maker determines the substantive merits of granting status.
Posted by: Bob kalangi | September 30, 2009 at 11:35 AM
it is my belief that instead of only puting the blame on foreigners that come to canada with "wrong" intentions etc, your immigration laws should start looking for scammers(and criminals 0 who use your decent laws to bring people to these country and put them in danger ...like i am now!
Posted by: louise | October 21, 2009 at 07:22 AM