(Below is a transcription of this video)
Hello. This is Michael Niren. I’m an immigration lawyer and founder of
VisaPlace.com. Many people are asking the question, “Is the new Canadian asylum system
actually working?”
The Effect of the New Asylum System in Canada
According to CIC, it is. There is about an 87% reduction
in asylum claims worldwide to Canada, and 80% reduction of claims coming
from the United States. According to the government, that’s a savings of a
potential $600 million. So based on those statistics, depending on how you
look at it, that is a smashing success.
However, from a humanitarian perspective, from the perspective that Canada
is supposed to be a haven, a safe haven, for people who are oppressed
worldwide who are seeking asylum from persecution, not too sure those
statistics are that positive. Many claimants from all over the world rely
on Canada as a potential destination to seek protection. And I think that
the government has gone too far in focusing on the administrative
efficiencies in terms of streamlining refugee claimants, preventing
potentially well-qualified or sincere claimants from making a claim.
For example, individuals from quote-unquote “safe” countries like the
United States may have been forced to go to the United States, but can’t
make an asylum claim there, and therefore want to come to Canada. Well,
under the new system, it’s very difficult to do that. So the new system is
potentially excluding a lot of real refugees, real asylum seekers, in the
name of efficiency. So I don’t think these numbers are positive from the
perspective of people in need of protection.
Is the New Asylum System in Canada Effective?
Now, it’s true that asylum claimants from Afghanistan and from Egypt and
from other countries that are legitimate refugee-producting countries are
coming and are being processed under the new system, which is a good thing.
But that doesn’t mean that Canada is doing its job in processing refugees
from other countries who are deserving. So I’m skeptical about the new
system.
And also, most importantly, we talk about due process. I don’t think due
process under the law where people have the right to a proper hearing,
proper procedure to determine whether or not their claim is in fact
legitimate, is really being followed given the nature of the new system
that we have. A lot of administrators, well-meaning, well-qualified, are
really making the decisions early on, as opposed to immigration judges or
members of immigration and refugee board, about the outcome of cases.
Do You Seek Refugee Protection in Canada?
So I’m a little concerned about what’s going on with the refugee protection
system in Canada. Well, we’ll see going forward. Time always tells whether
or not the government made the right call.
Thank you, and have a great day.
Contact our experienced team today, and let us help you with your Canadian immigration matters.
President & CEO
Michael Niren
Mr. Niren is CEO of VisaPlace LLC and the President and Managing Partner of VisaPlace Legal Canada, an immigration law firm based in Toronto, and VisaPlace Legal US a law firm registered in The District of Columbia, USA. Mr. Niren is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Canadian Bar Association’s Citizenship and Immigration Section, American Lawyers Association, and an Associate Member of the American Bar Association.
