An Overview of Refugee Protection in Canada December 7, 2022

Our last webinar of the year gives an overview of refugee protections in Canada. In this webinar, you will learn about what distinguishes a refugee from an immigrant, how one claims refugee protection, who can sponsor refugees to come to Canada as well as the guiding legal frameworks for this area of law, the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations.
The presentation will also explore Canada’s evolving response to recent humanitarian crises including the Syrian conflict, the Taliban take-over in Afghanistan, and the conflict in Ukraine.
Join immigration and refugee lawyer, Rebeka Lauks, for what is sure to be an engaging and important discussion to cap off 2022.

Date and Time: Wednesday, December 7th, 3:30 p.m EST

About the speaker:

Rebeka Lauks is an immigration and refugee lawyer in Toronto. She has regularly appeared before the Immigration and Refugee Board and the Federal Court since being called to the bar in 2014. Prior to starting her own firm in 2022, she worked at two internationally renowned refugee law firms in Toronto, as well as at the UN Refugee Agency in Honduras. She also previously taught the Refugee Protection course for the University of British Columbia’s Certificate in Immigration: Laws, Policies and Procedures program. Committed to community service, Rebeka volunteers with the legal clinic and mock hearing program at The 519 Church Street Community Centre, and serves as an external reviewer and content committee member with Community Legal Education Ontario’s Steps to Justice program.

Resources

Government of Canada, “How Canada’s refugee system works”, 2019. Available Online.
UNHCR, “Guidelines on International Protection No. 10”, 2014. Available Online.
UNHCR, “Handbook and Guidelines on Procedures and Criteria for Determining Refugee Status”, 2019. Available Online.
Community Legal Education Ontario – Steps to Justice, “Refugee Law”, 2022. Available Online.
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, “Interpretation of Convention Refugee and Person in Need of Protection in the Case Law”, 2020. Available Online.
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, “Assessment of Credibility in Claims for Refugee Protection”, 2020. Available Online.

More information on the Special Afghan programs:

Government of Canada, “Supporting Afghan nationals: About the special programs”, 2022. Available Online.

More information on the Special Ukraine programs:

Government of Canada, “Immigration measures and support for Ukrainians and their families”, 2022. Available Online.
Government of Canada, “Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel”, 2022. Available Online.

Figures and charts

Government of Canada, “Ukraine immigration measures: Key Figures”, 2022. Available Online.
Government of Canada, “#WelcomeAghans: Key Figures”, 2022. Available Online.
Government of Canada, “Syrian Refugee Resettlement Initiative – Looking to the Future”, 2019. Available Online.
OECD, “War in Ukraine: Tackling the policy challenges”. 2022. Available Online.
Statista, “How the Ukrainian Refugee Crisis Compares Globally”, 2022. Available Online.