Resettlement: travel arrangements

(REF-OVS-8-2)

This guidance provides migration officers with an overview of the process to make travel arrangements from overseas to final destination in Canada for resettled refugees and other clients in refugee-like situations.

On this page

• Resettlement targets shared with IOM
• Transportation loan counseling and signature
• RAP contributions for exceptionally high-needs resettled refugees
• Case finalization and IOM travel booking assistance
• Self-booking clients
• Maximum number of clients per commercial flight
• Charter flights
• Day of arrival
• Transportation and associated costs
• Travel arrangements for service animals and household pets

Resettlement targets shared with IOM

Each year, resettled refugee admission targets by country of residence are shared by the Resettlement Policy and Program Branch, Resettlement Operations Division (RPPB-ROD), with the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Updated targets are shared with IOM on a quarterly basis, or sooner if new needs or new government commitments arise.

Transportation loan counseling and signature

Clients should be counselled on the terms and conditions of the transportation loan, and sign the Terms and Conditions of loan form [IMM 0502] (PDF). While the IMM 0502 form must be signed and authorized by a migration officer, counselling the client on the loan and obtaining the client’s signature can be done by the migration officer, a locally engaged staff member, or IOM.

For more information, see Immigration Loans Program (ILP).

RAP contributions for exceptionally high-needs resettled refugees

Through the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP), IRCC may pay for transportation costs, transportation-related costs, and/or initial settlement costs on behalf of exceptionally high-needs resettled refugees, rather than having them repay these costs through a loan under the Immigration Loans Program (ILP).

Requests can be made

• pre-arrival, by migration offices or the Resettlement Policy and Program Branch, Resettlement Operations Division (RPPB ROD), to pay for a client’s transportation and transportation-related costs
• post-arrival, by RAP service provider organizations (SPO) or regional  Settlement Network (SN) offices, to pay for a client’s transportation and transportation-related costs, and/or initial settlement costs

For more information, see RAP contributions for exceptionally high-needs resettled refugees

Case finalization and IOM travel booking assistance

For most resettled refugees, IOM provides comprehensive assistance to travel to Canada, including

• where operationally feasible, supporting applications for exit permits
• assembling travel documents, including documents for transit countries and for entry into Canada
• initiating the ILP transportation loan
• arranging air travel to final destinations in Canada
• arranging an operational escort or a medical escort for travel when needed
• providing support in the countries of departure and transit (if applicable), including additional assistance during travel when unforeseen circumstances are encountered

The migration office notifies the local IOM office that the clients are ready to travel through a travel booking referral, which includes the final destination. Migration offices must ensure that all cross-referenced cases (x-refs) are referred for travel at the same time to avoid separating families.

Self-booking clients

Clients can choose to make their own travel arrangements; however, they should be aware that this will be without support from IOM or IRCC. Clients who self-book

cannot

• access ILP transportation loans to cover the cost of their travel to Canada.
• receive assistance from IRCC or IOM for obtaining exit permits, booking travel, navigating transit airports, etc.

must

• make arrangements to pick up their visa at the migration office
• comply with any travel requirements
• ensure that they travel to Canada prior to the expiry of their visa
• navigate immigration and customs procedures without RAP SPO support once in Canada

Privately Sponsored Refugees (PSR) and Blended Visa Office-Referred (BVOR) clients must inform their sponsor of their upcoming travel so that sponsors can be prepared to receive them. Government-Assisted Refugees (GAR) must contact the RAP SPO receiving them when they arrive.

Maximum number of clients per commercial flight

A maximum of 75 resettled refugee clients should be booked on a single commercial flight by IOM.

If there is a need for a migration office to book more than 75 refugee clients on any given commercial flight, a message stating the reasons for the request must be sent to RPPB-ROD at least 15 business days in advance of the flight date. RPPB-ROD will reach out to the SN Resettlement Operations Directorate (SN-ROD) to coordinate consultation with SN regional offices and respond to the request within two business days.

Charter flights

Commercial flights are the preferred travel option for the vast majority of resettlement movements. However, the use of charter flights can be assessed on a situational basis to support large scale movements and/or where the urgency or complexity of the situation warrants it.

Particularly in the context of large movements, IOM will advise IRCC if available commercial bookings are insufficient to achieve established targets, or where the use of charter flights may otherwise be recommended for operational reasons.

Day of arrival

Time of arrival

Clients’ flight arrangements should allow for arrival at their final destination before 22:00 hours local time.

Port of Entry RAP Services

Upon their arrival at the port of entry (POE) airport, resettled refugees and other eligible clients receive POE services from the POE RAP SPO. These services include

• meeting and greeting clients as they deplane
• assisting them with immigration and customs procedures
• issuing winter clothing if required
  • to GAR and and Joint Assistance Sponsorship (JAS) clients between October 15 and April 15
  • to PSRs and BVORs on an exceptional basis only, or as per instructions from IRCC
• if the POE city is the final destination, ensure clients
  • meet the RAP SPO or sponsors waiting for them at the POE airport or
  • for GAR and JAS clients, if applicable, facilitate client transportation to their temporary accommodation
• if the POE is not the final destination
  • addressing any immediate and in-transit needs
  • assisting clients to their onward ground or air transportation to their final destination
  • making arrangements for overnight accommodation and transportation to and from this accommodation if the onward flight is scheduled on another day
  • helping clients to obtain an in-Canada transportation loan from CBSA to cover overnight accommodation and/or ground transportation costs, if required

For more information, see the Port of Entry (POE) Airport Services chapter of the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) Service Provider Handbook.

Connecting flights

At least four hours are required at the POE airport to allow for procedures related to the granting of permanent residence, clearing customs, distribution of winter clothing if applicable and accompanying clients to connecting flights.

Transportation and associated costs

Excess baggage

The number and size of allowed baggage may vary between airlines.

Personal and household effects

Beyond their allowed baggage, clients are responsible for shipping arrangements and related costs for their personal and household effects. These costs cannot be covered under the ILP or the RAP.

Prohibited items

Travelers are encouraged to consult Transport Canada’s What you can’t bring on a plane.

Airline and baggage claim tickets

Ensure that clients each have their own airline tickets and baggage-claim tickets. 

Travel arrangements for service animals or household pets

Service animals

For clients resettling to Canada with service animals, RPPB-ROD must be informed as soon as possible to relay this information to the receiving POE RAP SPO, and the RAP SPO, sponsor, or the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation, et de l’Intégration (MIFI), as this will impact arrangements for temporary and permanent accommodations. IOM will facilitate travel arrangements for service animals, including adding related costs to clients’ transportation loan, for cases with

• visual, hearing, physical or cognitive impairment
• mental health condition (such as post-traumatic stress disorder)
• seizure disorder
• diabetes
• etc.

Clients may be asked to provide a medical report attesting to the requirement for a service animal.

Clients must also be counselled on all requirements and costs that may be encountered upon arrival in Canada. More information can be found at Travelling with pets.

Household pets

IOM will not facilitate travel arrangements for household pets and RPPB-ROD will not facilitate notification with service providers. Clients should be encouraged to make their own arrangements to bring their household pet after their arrival in Canada. Clients are responsible for covering any related travel and accommodation costs for their household pet.

As RAP SPOs would only be notified about an incoming household pet after a client arrives, it may be difficult to assist the client in finding alternate temporary accommodation that is pet-friendly. As such, clients should make their own arrangements to accommodate their household pet while they are in temporary accommodation. More information can be found at: Importing pets.