Monday-Friday 10:00 - 18:00 Telephonic Appointment Only
REFUGEE DETERMINATION GROUNDS
In a year Canada grants permanent residence to approximately 35,000 refugees under an elaborate refugee protection process. The asylum program works to provide refugee protection to people in Canada who have a well-founded fear of persecution or are at risk of torture, or cruel or unusual punishment in their home countries. The Canadian refugee system has two main classes:
The Refugee and Humanitarian Resettlement Program, for people seeking protection from outside Canada; and
The In-Canada Asylum Program for people making refugee protection claims from within Canada.
REFUGEE APPLICATION PROCESS
Canada has obliged itself to protect genuine refugees, that is, not to send them back to persecution. People who get to Canada on their own can claim refugee protection at any border point, or inside Canada, at a Canadian Immigration Visa Office. The refugee application process is of two types:
People already in Canada
Any person who is already in Canada as a visitor, a student or a worker and is fearful to go back to his/her country, the person can make a refugee claim.
To make a refugee claim, the person has to inform in-person to a Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) office.
Usually, CIC staff will give you an appointment for an Interview.
During Interview an officer will ask questions to see if you are eligible to make a claim and he/she will take all your documents.
The CIC officer also issues a conditional removal order.
If the person is found to be eligible the officer will give you a package containing several forms. Then person must complete these forms before you go back to CIC.
People arriving at the Airport
If a person arrives at the airport as an asylum seeker, he/she must tell the first officer talk to that he/she wants to make a refugee claim.
An immigration office will take refugee claimant to a meeting room in the airport for an interview to find out if you are eligible to make a claim.
If claimant has proper identity documents and are found to be eligible, the officer will usually let him/her go.
The officer will keep all his\her documents. Ask for a photocopy of them and a copy of the interview notes.
The officer also issues a conditional removal order and will give you a package, including a Basis of Claim Form (BOC).
Refugee claims are very complex and there is always a lot of complications. We at Brainy Immigration Services always recommend people seeking refugee protection to be represented by a competent RCIC Immigration Consultants.
