What is a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment or PRRA?
The PRRA is a paper application to the Canadian Government where you explain why you will be in danger if you have to leave Canada to return to your country.
Who can apply for a PRRA?
• People who have to leave Canada, or are being deported, can sometimes apply for a PRRA
• You can only apply for a PRRA if the Canada Border Services Agencies (CBSA) calls you in and gives you a PRRA. This is not an application that anyone can just download from the government website and send it.
• If you got a negative decision on your refugee claim, you likely have to wait one year before you are allowed to apply for a PRRA. You will also have to include information or evidence in your PRRA that is new or different from what you said in your refugee application.
What should I do if CBSA calls me in and gives me a PRRA?
You should get legal help! If you already have a lawyer, you can contact them. If you do not have a lawyer or you want a new lawyer, you can contact the Centre for Refugee Children or another refugee centre.
Can I be deported if I am waiting for a PRRA decision?
No — you cannot be deported if you sent in a PRRA application and you are waiting for a decision. However, CBSA might try to deport you in the one-year waiting time before you are allowed to apply for a PRRA. If CBSA calls you in for an interview about leaving Canada, you should get legal help.
What happens if my PRRA is accepted?
You will become a Protected Person. This means that you can stay in Canada. It also means that you will be able to apply to be a Permanent Resident.
What happens if my PRRA is rejected?
• CBSA will tell you that you must leave Canada.
Can I appeal a negative PRRA decision?
• You have the right do a Judicial Review of your PRRA decision. This means that a judge from the Federal Court of Canada will look at the decision and see if they think there was a mistake.
• If you are successful in your Judicial Review, it means that a new immigration officer will look at your PRRA application and make a decision. They might make a positive or a negative decision.
• You should have help from a lawyer to do a Judicial Review of your PRRA. Talk to your lawyer to see if Legal Aid Ontario can pay for this. See the CRC Resource on applying for Legal Aid.
• You could be ordered to leave Canada, even while you are waiting for your Judicial Review to finish. If this happens, you can ask your lawyer to make another application for you to stay in Canada until your Judicial Review is decided.
Read more about the PRRA on this website