3. Get free help from a legal aid clinic
Question and answer
Where can I get legal advice and help with my refugee claim?Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) funds legal clinics across Ontario to give free legal services to people with low incomes. At these clinics, lawyers, community legal workers, and law students help people with some legal problems.
To get help from a legal aid clinic:
- your legal issue must be one the clinic deals with
- your income and assets cannot be more than a certain amount
Very few clinics take refugee claims. Some clinics may help you with a (PRRA) or cessation or vacation hearing. Call your local clinic to see if they may help.
They can also tell you about health and community services and government benefits, for example, social assistance or Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) coverage.
Community legal clinics help people who live in their area. Search online for the clinic in your area using your postal code.
Specialty clinics serve specific groups, and these ones may offer help with some refugee matters:
- Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic
- Centre Francophone du Grand Toronto
- HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario
- Justice for Children and Youth
The South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario may assist with Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA) applications.
These Toronto law school clinics help with some refugee matters:
Brief legal advice
Legal clinics may also give brief legal advice, called summary advice without asking about your financial situation.
If your local clinic cannot help you, they may be able to refer you to someone in your community who can.