Arrival Patterns Government Assisted Refugees Amila Smailbegovic, IR February 21st, 2007
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Arrival Patterns Government Assisted Refugees Amila Smailbegovic, IR February 21st, 2007 Citizenship and Immigration Canada Citoyenneté et Immigration Canada 1 GAR arrival patterns 2006 overview Au gu st Se pt em be r O ct ob er No ve m be De r ce m be r Ju ly Ju ne ay M Ap ril 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 Ja nu ar y Fe br ua ry M ar ch Number of arrivals 2006 GAR arrival patterns Month Citizenship and Immigration Canada Citoyenneté et Immigration Canada 2 1- Issues in Nairobi • Problems obtaining Ethiopian visas for officers to conduct interviews • Problems obtaining exit permits for refugees • Delay in receiving medical results or delays due to TB treatment • Insufficient / uneven referrals from UNHCR • Making travel arrangements within budget during summer and winter Citizenship and Immigration Canada Citoyenneté et Immigration Canada 3 1- Singapore issues (Karen group) • Outbreak of hemorrhagic conjunctivitis • Pre-departure medicals (fit to fly) • Coup d’etat and exit permits • Passability of roads and rivers Citizenship and Immigration Canada Citoyenneté et Immigration Canada 4 1- Other mission issues • Mail unreliability • Delays in referrals • Security screening delays (war crimes in Africa) • Medical delays • Travel arrangements and Exit permits • Other processing priorities (GARs 3% of target) • Technical difficulties, insufficient resources, temporary resident pressures, difficulties in contacting applicants, delays in submitting documents Citizenship and Immigration Canada Citoyenneté et Immigration Canada 5 Impacts on GAR arrivals Impacts on GAR arrivals Medicals Security Visas to CBOs Travel arrangements Mission's prioirities Sudden problems Delays by applicants Exit permits UNHCR referrals Citizenship and Immigration Canada Citoyenneté et Immigration Canada 6 2- Steps taken to address uneven GAR arrivals • • • • CIC urged UNHCR to refer cases early on in the year to help even out arrivals Missions asked to achieve 70% of GAR target before July 1st Importance of more even GAR arrivals stressed during IPM Conference in Nairobi in February Conference call to be held with missions to ensure their understanding of problem with late arrivals and to ensure that steps are taken to even out arrivals Citizenship and Immigration Canada Citoyenneté et Immigration Canada 7 2- Steps taken to address uneven GAR arrivals • CIC negotiated quicker turn-around times with CBSA for security screening • However, cannot deal with issues beyond our control or delay arrivals artificially to even out arrivals • There will always be limits as wars or other calamities happen Citizenship and Immigration Canada Citoyenneté et Immigration Canada 8 Citizenship and Immigration Canada Citoyenneté et Immigration Canada Thank you ! Send your comments or concerns to: [email protected]