Success: PRRA Approved!
The Pre Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA) is notoriously difficult. Statistics from IRCC show a rate of approval at only around 3.5%. That means 96.5% are refused. It is an application of last resort, often the last chance for an individual to have their potential risks assessed by an IRCC Officer. We recently received positive news that our client’s PRRA application was approved. For your reference, we have included a redacted copy of the approval decision by IRCC. Unlike most other decisions by IRCC, the PRRA decision always comes with Reasons. In this case, the Officer has provided 8 pages of detailed reasons that include exactly why the application was approved.
Here is a short timeline for this client:
- Nov 2021 – client arrived to Canada
- Client filed Refugee Claim
- CBSA deemed client ineligible to claim refugee status from within Canada
- Client came to Clarke Immigration Law for help
- CIL assisted with PRRA application
- The PRRA was the first time any risk assessment was done for this client
- CIL contacted CBSA to defer removal under IRCC could make a decision on PRRA application
- CIL maintained regular contact with client and CBSA Officer
- July 2023, Client’s PRRA was approved!
At this point, our client now has the protection from the Government of Canada. This means he is no longer at risk of being deported and the IRCC Officer accepted that he is at risk. One of the key aspects of this case is that our client has serious, verifiable risks if he would be forced to return to his country of citizenship and these risks had never been previously considered. Unlike the procedures at the RPD, our client was not interview by the IRCC Officer and he did not give any oral testimony to support his case. All relevant documents and evidence were included in the PRRA package.
In addition, our client is covered by the Interim Federal Health Care Program and he will be applying for health care from Manitoba Health.
We will be assisting our client with his application for Permanent Resident Status and he may include all family members who were disclosed. They may also be granted PR status as a result of this decision.
Congratulations to our client! This was a huge effort to make all the risks clear for the Officer.
A PRRA is an assessment of an individual’s risk that they would face if removed from Canada. Most PRRA applications are assessed with respect to:
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whether the applicant’s return to their country would subject them personally to danger of torture; or a risk to life, or of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment; or
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whether the applicant has a well-founded fear of persecution in their home country (country of nationality or, if they do not have one, the country where they usually lived) based on their race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group; and because of this fear, they are unwilling or unable to return to or seek protection in that country.
Any client who is going through this process needs to be acutely aware of the legal tests and their chances. Part of our job is to manage our client’s expectations.
Here is the chart on PRRA approvals from IRCC:
