Where can I get help with my refugee claim?
Refugee law is complicated. A refugee claim has many steps. Without legal help, it can be difficult to:
- complete forms
- gather
- prepare for your hearing
- explain why you should get protection
- follow all the rules
It's important to get legal advice from someone who specializes in refugee law as soon as possible. For example, a refugee lawyer can explain:
- how Canadian law defines a refugee
- the steps in the process
- whether your claim has a chance of success, or if you should make another type of application
- what documents and evidence you need
A refugee lawyer can also help you:
- complete your Basis of Claim form
- find, fix, and explain any mistakes or inconsistencies in your forms, statements, and documents
- prepare and represent you at your hearing
Where to get help
Get help from a licensed representative. This means a:
- lawyer or paralegal licensed by the Law Society of Ontario, or
- Registered Immigration Consultant (RCIC) licensed by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants.
The representative must follow professional rules about being honest and doing a good job. If they break the rules, they can lose their license. Only a licensed representative can legally be paid to represent you.
If you have a low income, Legal Aid Ontario may pay for a lawyer to represent you. Learn more in Step 2. And there may be other places where you can get free or lower cost legal help. Learn more in Steps 3 and 4.
Protect yourself
Do not accept help from anyone who:
- tells you to lie, withhold information, or use false documents
- asks you to sign blank or incomplete forms or something that you do not understand
- does not explain what they're doing or answer your questions
- does not give you copies of your documents and forms
For more information read: How can I tell if my immigration or refugee legal representative is reliable? The government also has tips to help you choose a representative.
Legal information
You may also want to visit these websites for legal information:
- Steps to Justice has legal information for refugee claimants in Ontario, including about the process of making a refugee claim in Canada.
- My Refugee Claim has information for refugee claimants in Canada, available in 13 different languages.
- The Canada-U.S. Border Rights Clinic has information for people in the U.S. about making a refugee claim at the Canada-U.S. border.
- United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has information for refugees worldwide, including about refugee protection in Canada.