Asylum and Resettlement in Canada. Historical development, successes, challenges and lessons

By the year 2020, there were more than 280 million international migrants across the globe. Of this figure, 26.4 million were refugees, who have fled for a variety of reasons, including persecution, violence and human rights violations. Canada is considered the world leader in the protection of refugees. Notwithstanding this generally positive perception, the Canadian protection system exhibits a series of deficiencies, ranging from detention policies and deportation in the case of asylum seekers, down to the integration obstacles and other associated challenges encountered by resettled refugees. In addition, other challenges including violence, vulnerability, denial of rights, and growing hostility toward migrants and refugees undermine the overall health and image of the system.