Pre-Removal Risk Assessment

The Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA) is back-ended application for protection that enables Canada to meet its obligations under the Convention Against Torture (CAT). The CAT prohibits all refoulement (return) to a country where a person is at risk of torture or cruel or unusual treatment or punishment. By offering persons in Canada the opportunity to apply for such protection prior to being removed to their home country, Canada abides by CAT.

The unfortunate reality is that PRRA applications have a very low success rate: 2 to 4% country-wide. There are numerous reasons for this:

you can only submit evidence that has arisen since your refugee claim, if you have had one; if you haven’t submitted a refugee claim, you can submit any evidence;
you must show that the risk is personalized, that is, that you as a person are likely to suffer the risk;
if you come from a country where large areas of the country are at risk due to civil war, famine or drought, you are precluded from making that argument in your PRRA;
if you are claiming protection because your country is unable or unwilling to provide for your medical care, even life-sustaining medical treatment, you are again precluded from making that argument in your PRRA, unless you are being singled out by the government by discriminatory treatment.

You do not need a lawyer to represent you for your PRRA; however, given the emphasis on research and arguments, if you truly believe that your life may be at risk if you return to your country, it is recommended that you do retain counsel to represent you.


ABOUT WAZANALAW Welcome to WazanaLaw Who is Richard Wazana... Our Team What can we do for you? Immigrants and refugees Human rights practitioners Students Legal research Recent Federal Court decisions Find us and contact us THE IMMIGRATION PROCESS Immigrating to Canada? Live-in Caregiver Entering Canada Temporarily? Temporary Resident Visa Work Permit Study Permit Temporary Resident Permit Sponsoring a family member? Spouses Children Parents and grandparents Out of status? Humanitarian and compassionate Pre-removal risk assessment Stay of deportation Judicial reviews and appeals Failed refugee claims Removal order appeals Spousal sponsorship appeals Residency appeals RESOURCES Canadian immigration legislation Immigration forms library Useful Web sites	Pre-Removal Risk Assessment The Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA) is back-ended application for protection that enables Canada to meet its obligations under the Convention Against Torture (CAT). The CAT prohibits all refoulement (return) to a country where a person is at risk of torture or cruel or unusual treatment or punishment. By offering persons in Canada the opportunity to apply for such protection prior to being removed to their home country, Canada abides by CAT. The unfortunate reality is that PRRA applications have a very low success rate: 2 to 4% country-wide. There are numerous reasons for this: you can only submit evidence that has arisen since your refugee claim, if you have had one; if you haven’t submitted a refugee claim, you can submit any evidence; you must show that the risk is personalized, that is, that you as a person are likely to suffer the risk; if you come from a country where large areas of the country are at risk due to civil war, famine or drought, you are precluded from making that argument in your PRRA; if you are claiming protection because your country is unable or unwilling to provide for your medical care, even life-sustaining medical treatment, you are again precluded from making that argument in your PRRA, unless you are being singled out by the government by discriminatory treatment. You do not need a lawyer to represent you for your PRRA; however, given the emphasis on research and arguments, if you truly believe that your life may be at risk if you return to your country, it is recommended that you do retain counsel to represent you.
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