Working Group on Overseas Protection and Resettlement

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).