The Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (Convention) specifies the obligations that States Parties shall accord to refugees within their territories. In Article 1, the Convention defines a refugee as a person who is outside the country of his/her nationality and unable or unwilling to return to it, “owing to a well founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.” Subsequent articles detail the rights States Parties agree to grant to refugees.
The Convention was adopted in 1951. It entered into force on 22 April 1954 ninety days after six States had ratified or acceded to it. A Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees was adopted in 1967. Canada acceded to the Convention and the Protocol on 4 June 1969 and made a reservation concerning its interpretation of the phrase “lawfully staying” as referring only to refugees admitted for permanent residence. Refugees admitted for temporary residence will be accorded the same treatment with respect to Public Relief, Labour Legislation and Social Security as is accorded visitors generally.
States Parties are required to cooperate with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR, also known as the UN Refugee Agency), which is mandated by the General Assembly to supervise implementation of the Convention and Protocol. UNHCR encourages states to accept and adhere to the Convention and operates programs to promote fulfillment of Convention-based goals for refugee protection.