CIMM – Human Trafficking – December 05, 2023

Key Facts And Figures

• From January 1, 2015, to September 30, 2023, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued 884 temporary resident permits to foreign national victims of human trafficking.

Key Messages

• The Government of Canada recognizes the heinous nature of human trafficking. IRCC is committed to helping to protect victims.
• As a protection measure, IRCC provides temporary resident permits to victims of human trafficking, which allows access to an open work permit or study permit, as well as healthcare coverage, including medical and psychological services and prescription drug coverage.
• IRCC works with partner departments and agencies through the whole-of-government National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking.

Supplementary Information

• IRCC conducts administrative investigations to identify human trafficking facilitators and victims and disrupt networks of facilitated human trafficking. Currently, there are approximately 10 such investigations.^{Footnote 1} The Department collaborates with enforcement partners and provides assistance with their criminal investigations and works with officers to identify possible new cases of trafficking victims to put additional scrutiny on an application when concerns arise.
• The National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking is a horizontal Government of Canada approach, led by Public Safety Canada, and is based on five pillars: empowerment, prevention, protection, prosecution and partnerships. IRCC’s work falls under the “protection” pillar, and is focused on the issuance of temporary resident permits to victims of human trafficking and administrative immigration investigations.