The Overseas Protection and Resettlement (OPR) Working Group provides a forum to exchange information, network and develop policy positions in the area of:
- the protection needs of refugees and other forcibly displaced people around the world;
- the resettlement of refugees to Canada and internationally;
- the needs and challenges experienced by refugees prior to resettlement to Canada (whether resettled through government programs or private sponsorship);
- the needs and challenges experienced by resettled refugees in Canada during the period of the sponsorship undertaking, in collaboration with the I&S working group;
- the needs and challenges experienced by private sponsors.
The Working Group priorities for 2023 are:
- Equity (in processing of resettlement applications and in responses to emergencies)
- Reduced access to resettlement (addressing new obstacles to resettlement)
- Family reunification
In addition, we identified root causes as a long-term concern.
Note: the Working Group was until 2017 known as the Working Group on Overseas Protection and Sponsorship (OPS).
CRCP
The Working Group follows closely the Consultations on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways - the international forum for discussing issues of resettlement.
Resolutions
Consult the resolutions related to Overseas Protection and Resettlement in the Resolutions Database.
OPR Co-Chairs
Hugo Ducharme
Hugo has been working in the sector since 2016. They began his career in the student movement and on the boards of various community and cultural organizations. After spending a few months at the LGBTQ+ Community Centre, where they gained initial experience working with refugee claimants from these communities, they was hired by Jesuit Refugee Service Canada to work on its sponsorship program. They continues to work there as sponsorship coordinator and office manager. For just over three years now, they has co-chaired the CCR's Overseas Protection and Resettlement Working Group. They has also written a feature article for a special issue of Lumen Vitae magazine in 2019.
Syn Amanuel
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Syn Amanuel, RCIC-IRB, is the founder of Selamta Immigration Services, which she established in 2016 with a primary focus on refugees. With 16 years of prior volunteer experience as a host, interpreter, and assisting with immigration forms, Syn is working with clients from diverse ethnic backgrounds, including both immigrants and native-born Canadians. |
Syn holds an L3 RCIC-IRB Unrestricted Practice license from the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC). This license grants her the authority for unrestricted practice, allowing her to represent clients before Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) as well as all four divisions of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB): the Immigration Division (ID), Immigration Appeal Division (IAD), Refugee Protection Division (RPD), and Refugee Appeal Division (RAD).
Syn, born in Eritrea, came to Canada as a Government-sponsored refugee in 2001. Her personal immigration journey is deeply intertwined with her decision to become an RCIC in 2016, fueling her passion for helping others navigate the immigration process. Her firsthand experience enables her to empathize with refugees and advocate effectively, helping them secure their future in Canada or maintain the status they have acquired. This connection allows her to not only understand her clients’ stories but also to find solutions within the often-rigid structure of the Canadian immigration system.
Syn has been actively involved in various legal and community organizations since arriving in Canada, and she continues her volunteer work to this day. She is a member of the Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR) and Black African RCIC. She has also served as a board director for International Ave BRZ in Calgary since 2019.