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Programs and services across Ontario - Making a refugee claim
Programs and services across Ontario - Making a refugee claim
Contact Information
LAO helps people with low incomes with some immigration and refugee problems. For example, you might be able to get help:
- if you’re detained for immigration reasons
- to complete a Basis of Claim form
- with your refugee hearing,
- to prepare an appeal or application for judicial review,
- with cessation or vacation hearings,
- to prepare for a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA)
To get help from LAO, you can:
- call their free telephone line that lets you talk to a lawyer for up to 20 minutes to get information and general advice
- apply for a legal aid certificate if you have a low income and if your legal issue is one that LAO covers
- contact one of the Refugee Law staff offices in Hamilton, Ottawa, and Toronto
LAO funds Refugee Law Offices to help people mainly living in Toronto, Hamilton, and Ottawa who want to make a refugee claim. They can represent refugee claimants who qualify for a legal aid certificate.
To qualify for legal aid, you must show that you have a low income by giving information about your income, property, and savings. And, your refugee law issue must be one that LAO covers.
They also offer other services, for example, representing people at detention reviews. RLO staff can also refer you to a lawyer who can represent you using a legal aid certificate, if you qualify.
During the COVID-19 situation, many community legal clinics are no longer meeting with people in person, but will provide services over the phone. Call ahead for more information.
Legal Aid Ontario funds community legal clinics across Ontario to give free legal services to people with low incomes. Lawyers, community legal workers, and law students can help people with some legal problems, like social assistance, housing, and workers' rights.
To get help from a clinic:
- your legal issue must be one the clinic deals with
- you must live in the area the clinic serves
- you must have a low income
Most clinics also give brief advice or what’s called "summary advice", without asking about your financial situation. If your local clinic can't help you, they may be able to refer you to someone in your community who can.
Website
The Law Society of Ontario has on online Law Society Referral Service that gives you the name of a lawyer or licensed paralegal who will give free legal advice for up to 30 minutes in any area of law.
If you can’t wait for a legal representative to call you back, or if you don’t have a call-back number, email lsrs@lso.ca. Or, if you’re in crisis or in custody, call 1-855-947-5255 or 416-947-5255, Monday to Friday, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
The directory lists all lawyers and paralegals licensed to give legal services in Ontario. You can search by name, address or postal code, language, and area of law. You can also search for services offered in French and for unbundled services.
Contact Information
The FCJ Refugee Centre has services for refugees and others who are at risk because of their immigration status. They can:
- help with paperwork, translation, and interpretation
- make referals to immigration and refugee lawyers
- give information about social services, skills development, and counselling
They also have free information sessions about hearings and appealing to the Refugee Appeal Division (RAD).
Contact Information
The Canadian Red Cross First Contact Program has services to help refugees. This includes:
- information about emergency shelter, social services, legal and health services
- information about the refugee process, Interim Federal Health coverage, legal aid, the shelter system, social services, English classes, work permits, and more
- 24/7 telephone information and referral services