Regulation 100 — Government-Assisted Refugees
Text of provision
(1) For the purposes of subsection 12(2) of the Act, the self-employed persons class is hereby prescribed as a class of persons who may become permanent residents on the basis of their ability to become economically established in Canada and who are self-employed persons within the meaning of subsection 88(1).
(2) If a foreign national who applies as a member of the self-employed persons class is not a self-employed person within the meaning of subsection 88(1), the application shall be refused and no further assessment is required.
Plain English
Regulation 100 provides that a government-assisted refugee is a member of the Convention Refugees Abroad class who is referred to Canada by the UNHCR or by a designated referral organisation, and who receives income support from the Canadian government for up to one year after arrival.
GAR applicants are selected by IRCC officers based on UNHCR referrals and subject to admissibility assessments.
Practical effect
Government-Assisted Refugees receive Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) support — temporary housing, income support, and settlement services — for their first year in Canada. The government sets annual GAR targets as part of the immigration levels plan. GAR processing is handled by IRCC offices abroad and overseas visa offices; processing times depend on UNHCR referral volume and the capacity of the relevant IRCC overseas office. Health, security, and criminality assessments are conducted before departure.