Making a Refugee Claim

There is lots of very valuable information about the process here: http://refugee.cleo.on.ca/en/claiming-refugee-protection-canada

For more information about the refugee process in Canada, please visit Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s website: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/canada.asp

For information on resettling from outside of Canada: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/outside/index.asp

And for information on claiming refugee status from inside Canada: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/inside/apply-how.asp

Legal Support

At Romero House we can help you to access a lawyer for your refugee case or you can call the Refugee Law Office at (416)977-8111.

After a Claim is Made

Once a refugee claim is made there are many other immediate needs that must be attended to such as financial assistance, settlement support, and housing. These are things that we can support newly arrived refugees with, however, there is also information available through the CIC’s website here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/refugees/help.asp as well as by connecting with one of the many other support agencies in the GTA:

West Toronto Community Legal Services

2333 Dundas St West Suite 404
Toronto M6R 3A6

416-531-7376

For other legal clinics visit: http://www.legalaid.on.ca/en/contact/contact.asp?type=cl#T

Legal Aid Ontario (GTA District Office)

20 Dundas Street West

Suite 201

Toronto, Ontario

M5G2H1

1-416-598-0200
1-800-668-8258

Immigrant Reception and Information Services (IRIS) – POE
Malton Neighbourhood Services
3450 Morning Star Drive
Mississauga, Ontario
L4T 1Y2
905-677-6270

COSTI Immigrant Services
1710 Dufferin Street
Toronto, Ontario
M6E 3P2
416-658-1600

COSTI Reception Centre
100 Lippincott Street
Toronto, Ontario
M5S 2P1
416-922-6688

Wesley Urban Ministries
52 Catherine Street North
Hamilton, Ontario
L8R 1J1
905-528-5629

More websites with helpful information and resources…

• Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR): www.ccrweb.ca/en/home
• Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers (CARL): www.carl-acaadr.ca/
• Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA): www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/menu-eng.html
• Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB): www.irb-cisr.gc.ca/eng/pages/index.aspx (The IRB website includes the Basis of Claim Form, Claimant’s Guides, and IRB guidelines and policies)
• Law Facts: Refugee law: www.lawfacts.ca/refugee
• Kinbrace Hearing Prep Guide: http://kinbrace.ca/rhp-guide/
• A straightforward explanation of the various agencies who process refugee claims: https://www.immigrationdirect.ca/immigration-articles/what-is-the-immigration-and-refugee-board/index.html

For those interested in private sponsorship:

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/crisis/syria-iraq/sponsor.asp

LifelineSyria: http://lifelinesyria.ca/sponsor/