The number of asylum claims submitted by foreign nationals seeking refugee status in Canada has increased by 62.3% in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year.
According to recent figures from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), 92,130 asylum claims were filed in the first six months of this year, up from 56,760 in the corresponding timeframe last year. A decade ago, in 2015, Canada received only 16,050 asylum claims for the entire year. Nowadays, the country receives nearly that many in just one month. May alone saw 16,045 new asylum claims.
With unprecedented levels of both permanent and temporary immigration, the federal government faces mounting political pressure to reduce these numbers. Immigration Minister Marc Miller acknowledged the efforts of the City of Toronto in supporting asylum claimants with temporary housing and essential services. “They are crucial partners in helping us address the rising asylum numbers and meet the needs of those fleeing danger and persecution,” Miller commented.
“We will continue to support these vulnerable individuals and work with our city colleagues to find the best ways to assist them.” Toronto, Ontario’s capital and Canada’s most populous city, reported a 163.2% increase in asylum claims filed upon arrival at airports during the first six months of this year, compared to the same period last year. The number of asylum seekers submitting inland applications in Ontario also surged by 159.1% during the same timeframe, according to IRCC data. However, Ontario was not the only province experiencing a significant rise in asylum claims in the first half of this year compared to last year.
Significant Surge in Asylum Claims in Manitoba
During recent assessment periods, Alberta experienced a 103.2% increase in asylum claims filed at airports and a 223.7% rise in claims at inland offices.
Quebec also saw notable increases, with a 71.2% spike in airport refugee applications and a 115.6% jump in inland office applications. The most dramatic rise, however, was in Manitoba, where applications at inland offices soared by 613% in the first half of this year compared to the same timeframe last year.
Canada is committed to international protection standards, being a signatory to the 1951 Geneva Convention Related to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol. Every year, Canada offers permanent residency to approximately 30,000 refugees through a detailed refugee protection system. This system includes the Refugee and Humanitarian Resettlement Program, which operates outside Canada, and the In-Canada Refugee Protection Process.
A convention refugee is someone who, due to a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, social group membership, or political opinion, is outside their home country and cannot or will not seek protection from that country. A person in need of protection is someone in Canada who risks facing torture, life-threatening situations, or cruel and unusual punishment if returned to their home country. Most approved refugees are granted asylum within Canada, either at a port of entry or at an inland Canada Immigration Centre.
