On this page, you will find:
To find organisations working for LGBTQI+ rights, visit our Canada LGBTQI+ Resources page.
For Canada country of origin information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents visit our Canada COI page.
Refugee protection
Click here to see the numbers and origins of refugees hosted by Canada.
The following sections contain information on the most important international treaties and agreements of which Canada is signatory, as well as national legislation relevant to the protection of refugees.
Canada’s international refugee legal framework is based on key international instruments, including the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its Protocol, as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These agreements define the rights and protections for refugees and outline the obligations of states in providing assistance and safeguarding their well-being. Canada works closely with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to ensure compliance with international standards and to identify vulnerable refugees for resettlement. By upholding these international legal frameworks, Canada demonstrates its commitment to the rights and protection of refugees on a global scale.
Canada has a robust national refugee legal framework comprising the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) as the primary legislation, which incorporates the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. The IRPA establishes the rules and procedures for determining refugee status and outlines the rights and responsibilities of refugees. The Refugee Protection Division (RPD) within the Immigration and Refugee Board conducts refugee status determination hearings. The Safe Third Country Agreement governs refugee claims made at the Canada-US land border. Canada also operates a refugee resettlement program for vulnerable refugees referred by UNHCR. Legal aid services and integration support are available to refugees.
Legal aid organisations
Website
Address: #200, 138 4th Avenue SE
Calgary, Alberta T2G 4Z6
Tel: 403-263-4414
Email: settlement@ciwa-online.com
This program provides clients with family and immigration related legal support in collaboration with Calgary Legal Guidance and covers the following:
- Legal advice
- Legal representation & advocacy
- Document preparation
- Notary services
- Referrals
Website
Address: 100, 840 – 7th Avenue SW Calgary, AB T2P 3G2
Phone: 403-234-9266
Fax: 403-234-9299
Email:clg@clg.ab.ca
In recognizing the lack of free legal services available for low income people living in Calgary, Calgary Legal Guidance works to extend access to justice to individuals needing legal support.
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Address: 500 – 865 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5S8
Tel: 613-237-2925 or 613-237-1988
Toll-Free: 1-800-267-8860
Fax: 613-237-0185
Email: info@cba.org
The Canadian Bar Association (CBA) plays a significant role in advocating for the rights and interests of refugees in Canada. As a professional association representing lawyers, the CBA is committed to promoting access to justice and upholding the rule of law for all individuals, including refugees.
The CBA actively engages in various initiatives and activities related to refugee law and policy. It provides resources, legal education, and professional development opportunities for lawyers working with refugees and immigration matters. The association also works to improve the legal framework and procedures concerning refugee protection in Canada.
The CBA’s Refugee Lawyers Section is a specialized community within the association that focuses on refugee and immigration law. It serves as a platform for lawyers to share knowledge, discuss emerging issues, and collaborate on initiatives related to refugee protection.
Website
Email: info@ccblc.org
The Canadian Cross-Border Legal Coalition is a network of Canadian lawyers working to help those impacted by the US President’s 27 January 2017 travel ban, in partnership with colleagues in the US and around the world. The travel ban has caused large-scale rights violations and family separation, and has left thousands of refugees stranded in desperate circumstances. The CCBLC grew out of the spontaneous mobilization of hundreds of lawyers who rushed to airports in the US and Canada to help those impacted by this Executive Order. It brings together leading Canadian organizations and groups of volunteer lawyers and law students who quickly came together to oppose the ban and fight for the rights of those impacted.
Tel: 780-702-1725
Fax: 780-702-1726
Email: Intake@eclc.ca
The Edmonton Community Legal Centre provides free legal information and advice to low to moderate income people in the Edmonton area. The Edmonton Community Legal Centre is one of the seven legal clinics in Alberta that are available to provide legal help. The other clinics are located in: Fort McMurray, Calgary, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Grande Prairie. Call us for help with any of these legal issues:
- Family Law, including separation and divorce, child custody, child support, and more
- Landlord and Tenant
- Employment and wrongful dismissal
- Human Rights
- Debt
- Small Claims
- Immigration, including concerns of Temporary Foreign Workers. Eligibility for our services does not depend on your status in Canada.
- Income supports appeals for AISH, Employment Insurance, CPP, and others
Website
Address: 10116 102 Avenue
Grande Prairie, AB T8V 1C2
Tel: 780-882-0036
Fax: 780-882-0674
Email: gplg@thecommunityvillage.ca
Grande Prairie Legal Guidance provides free legal information and advice to low to moderate income people who have a legal issue but do not qualify for Legal Aid.
The Clinic can help with the following legal issues:
- Family Law, including separation and divorce, child custody, child support, and more
- Landlord and Tenant
- Employment
- Debt/Contract
- Traffic/Bylaw
- Wills/Estates
- Criminal Law
- Civil Law
*Please note, the Clinic do not provide representation in court.
Website
Address: 423 – 5th Street South Lethbridge, AB T1J 2B6
Tel: 403-380-6338
Fax: 403-380-3661
Email: info@lethbridgelegalguidance.ca
Lethbridge Legal Guidance provides free legal assistance, information, and advocacy to individuals experiencing financial difficulties who need legal services and representation and who do not qualify for legal aid.
Volunteer lawyers provide legal information and advice on a variety of legal issues which include but is not limited to:
- Family issues such as separation/divorce, adult interdependent relationship, custody and access, and child support
- Civil issues such as debt, small claims, landlord/tenant, traffic/bylaw
- Employment law and how it can pertain to social benefit issues such as Alberta Works, AISH and Canada Pension Plan benefits
- Criminal law issues and Personal Injury*
- Immigration issues such as sponsorship, work permits, Canadian citizenship and permanent residency.
Website
Address: #1200, 910 7th Avenue SW Calgary, Alberta, Canada
T2P 3N8
Phone: 403-265-1120
Fax: 403-266-2486
Email: info@immigrantservicescalgary.ca
Provided in partnership with Calgary Legal Guidance, the Legal Advice clinic at Immigrant Services Calgary provide newcomers with advice on legal matters from highly qualified professional volunteer lawyers. Legal clinics are free of charge and offer personal consultation services on family and immigration issues to low-income clients.
Website
Address: 103 – 2610 Victoria Drive
Vancouver, BC V5N 4L2
Tel: 778-372-6583
Whatsapp: 778-222-7568
Email: info@irlc.ca
Based in Vancouver, Immigration and Refugee Legal Clinic provide free legal advice and representation for low-income people across BC. The Clinic focus on assisting individuals and families whose immigration or refugee legal issues are not covered or easy to serve in the traditional legal aid system.
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Address: 20 Bay Street, 12th Floor, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2N8
Tel: (001) 41 65 48 41 71
Fax: (001) 41 62 14 20 43
Email: info@irqr.ca
IRQR is an international queer human rights organisation based in Toronto, Canada. IRQR help Iranian gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered refugees all over the world when threatened with deportation back to Iran, and also assist Iranian queers in obtaining asylum in friendly countries. Their goals are to end discrimination against sexual minorities in Iran; to raise awareness of queer oppression in Iran and in other countries; to advocate for the Iranian queer population; fight for the abolition of execution in Iran; and to end systematic abuses of human rights in Iran. Many Iranian queer people fleeing persecution in Iran go to Turkey. UNHCR interviews these refugees and if they are granted asylum status, UNHCR looks for a new country for each person on the basis of their profile. However, IRQR assists some of these refugees through the process and, whenever possible, provides funds for safe houses from donations, since Turkey is also a homophobic and transphobic society and queer people are not physically safe there either.
Website
Address: Vancouver Regional Centre, Suite 425 (intake); Suite 400 (administration), 510 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6C 3A8
If you can’t get to a legal aid office, phone the Legal Services Society Call Centre:
Tel: (001) 60 44 08 21 72 (Lower Mainland) / (001) 86 65 77 25 25 (toll free, outside the Lower Mainland)
Opening hours: 9:00-16:00 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and 9:00-14:30 Wednesday
Every year the Legal Services Society (LSS) provide a range of legal information, advice, and representation services that help people resolve their legal problems. These services include booklets about the law and referrals to other agencies, or a lawyer to represent someone in court. They give priority to people with low incomes and have a number of offices across British Columbia which are listed on their website. Those requiring legal aid are advised in the first instance to go to their nearest office
Website
Address: 43 Queen Street South, 2nd Floor, Kitchener, Ontario
Tel: (001) 51 95 71 19 12
Email: office@mcrs.ca
The Mennonite Coalition for Refugee Support was formed in 1987 to assist refugee claimants from Central America in the resettlement process. By the mid-1990s MCRS was aiding refugee claimants arriving from countries around the world. MCRS provides refugee claim process support and settlement support in addition to advocating for a fairness and justice for refugees in Canada. The MCRS provides numerous emotional support, assistance with document completion, translation, and interpretation, help finding legal support, referrals to suitable housing and community resources, and advice.
Website
Address: 1435 City Councillors St.
Montreal (QC) H3A 2E4
Tel: (514) 844-9128
Email: info@montrealcitymission.org
MCM offers two legal clinics as outlined below:
Just Solutions Legal Clinic
The Just Solutions Legal Clinic provides free legal information, assistance and accompaniment to vulnerable and disadvantaged individuals in the domain of refugee and humanitarian immigration law.
Through public education (workshops) or its membership on various committees, coalitions and associations, Just Solutions advocates for the rights of refugees and immigrants in Canada and more specifically in Quebec.
Roger Snelling Seniors’ Legal Clinic
The Roger Snelling Clinic is a free legal information clinic that specializes in information and services in immigration and administrative law to a low-income immigrant population aged 55 and up, as well as Canadian-born seniors. The Clinic uses an interdisciplinary approach to resolving its clients’ issues and relies on the support of social workers, doctors and other community workers.
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Address: 20 Toronto Street, Suite 300, Toronto, Ontario M5C 2B8
Tel: (001) 41 68 69 10 47
Fax: (001) 41 68 69 13 90
Toll-free in Ontario (001) 80 06 68 89 00
The Ontario Bar Association (OBA), a branch of the CBA, represents close to 16,000 lawyers, judges, notaries, law teachers and law students from across the province. Approximately two-thirds of all practising lawyers in Canada belong to the CBA.
The Canadian Bar Association (CBA) is the leader and voice of Canada’s legal profession.
An essential ally and advocate for members of the legal profession, they promote fair justice systems, facilitate effective law reform, uphold equality in the legal profession and are devoted to eliminating discrimination.
They are also the premiere provider of quality professional development and information to members of the legal profession.
Website
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Address: 959 Wellington Street West, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 2X5
Tel: 61 37 25 02 02 or 61 37 25 56 71
Fax: 61 37 25 90 54
Email: info@ociso.org
Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization (OCISO) is a non-profit organization that has been assisting immigrants and refugees with settlement and integration issues since 1978. OCISO are a multi-service agency with programs for students and schools, English language training, immigrant women, job seekers, victims of torture, families and communities. Their services help newcomers to help themselves by providing information, counselling, and support. Legal Aid is available to low income individuals and disadvantaged communities for a variety of legal problems, including criminal matters, family disputes, immigration and refugee hearings and poverty law issues such as landlord/tenant disputes, disability support and family benefits payments.
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Address: 1266 Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M6K 1L3
Tel: (001) 41 65 31 24 11
Fax: (001) 41 65 31 08 85
Email: SadowayG@lao.on.ca
Contact Person: Geraldine Sadoway: extension -229
Parkdale Community Legal Services (PCLS) is a teaching clinic with law students from Osgoode Hall Law School who work under the supervisions of the staff lawyers. PCLS offers assistance in immigration and refugee cases:
- Humanitarian and Compassionate landing applications
- Refugee claims and pre-removal risk assessment applications
- Landing and family reunification of refugees
- Work permits, visitor extensions
- Admittance to schools for immigrant children
- OHIP for immigrants and renewing interim federal health coverage
- Loan application for right of landing fee
- Invitation letters to visitors
- Sponsorship of relatives
- Deportation and sponsorship appeals
- Federal Court applications for judicial review
PCLS’s work is free of charge but criteria for taking on cases is limited by geographic area and our own resources. Please contact for more information.
Website
Address: 1650-2002 Victoria Avenue
Tel: 306-569-3098
Toll Free: 1-855-833-7257
Fax: 306-569-2198
Email: info@pblsask.ca
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Address: 78 Queen’s Park, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 2C5
Tel: 41 69 78 40 48
Fax: 41 69 78 26 48
Email: nikki.gershbain@probonostudents.ca
They have chapters in every law school in Canada, and a list can be found on their website. PBSC provide lawyers and trainees for non-governmental organisations across Canada who require legal assistance but cannot otherwise afford it. They do not provide direct legal aid to those seeking asylum but can provide details of organisations who will.
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1170 Bute St, Vancouver, BC V6E 1Z7, Canada
Email: info@rainbowrefugee.ca
Rainbow Refugee Committee is a Vancouver-based grassroots organization, comprised entirely of volunteer members engaging in support and advocacy with LGBTQ/HIV positive asylum seekers, refugee claimants and refugees. Rainbow Refugee provides information about the RSD process tailored to those making claims based on sexual orientation or gender Identity. It puts clients in contact with lawyers experienced in LGBT/HIV refugee claims and accompanies them to hearings, security checks or other meetings with officials. A peer support and information group is held twice a month. Rainbow Refugee collaborates with other NGOs to help LGBT refugee claimants access safe housing, social assistance, mental and physical health care and jobs. Rainbow Refugee offers these services in English, Spanish, Farsi and Arabic, but they can answer emails in French, Hindi and Urdu.
Website
Contact persons: Andrew Kuipers, Programme Director
Email: andrew@kinbrace.ca
Fran Gallon
Email: ready@refugeeclaim.ca
Thanks to the dedication of Kinbrace, a Vancouver-based NGO, the completely revised Refugee Hearing Preparation: A Guide for Refugee Claimants is now available across Canada, in 6 regions and 10 languages, that helps refugee claimants and service providers navigate the refugee determination system. This Guide is an invaluable tool for refugee claimants, service providers and the legal community in helping to prepare refugee claimants for their hearings. The Guide is available in English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Mongolian, Somali, Urdu, Farsi, Tigrigna and Sorani Kurdish.
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Address: 489 College Street, Suite 503, Toronto, ONM6G 1A5
Tel: +1 41 63 23 92 49
Fax: +1 41 63 23 91 07
The Barbra Schlifer Clinic offers legal representation, professional counselling and multilingual interpretation to women who have experienced violence. Our diverse, skilled and compassionate staff accompany women through personal and practical transformation, helping them to build lives free from violence.The clinic offers:
- legal help in family, immigration and criminal law
- compassionate support from diverse, skilled counsellors
- interpretation and translation in more than 90 languages
Organisations providing other support to refugees
National Office
Address: 400 Cooper Street, Suite 8000 Ottawa, Ontario K2P 2H8
Tel: 1-613-740-1900
Fax: 1-613-740-1911
The Canadian Red Cross Society is actively involved in providing support to refugees in Canada as part of its humanitarian mission. As a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, it is committed to assisting the most vulnerable individuals, including refugees, and improving their circumstances.
The Canadian Red Cross Society works in collaboration with government agencies, community organizations, and other stakeholders to provide various forms of support to refugees.
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Address: 2-Montavisata, Nepean, Ontario K2J 2L3
Contact: Victor Biak Lian, Board Member
Email: vblian@hotmail.com
The Chin Human Rights Organisation (CHRO) is a non-governmental, non-profit advocacy organisation legally registered in Canada. It was formed in 1995 on the India-Burma border by a group of Chin activists committed to promoting democracy in Burma and raising international awareness of previously unreported human rights abuses being perpetrated against the Chin people by the Burmese military regime.
CHRO activities include:
- Documentation of violations of Human Rights in Western Burma and conducting necessary advocacy in that regard
- Making relevant reports about the situation depending on how important the need to response
- Human rights education to the people of China in Burma (see website for further information)
In terms of refugee work:
- Refugee protection (advocacy works for the local and central government to stop deportation in Mizoram, India)
- Providing humanitarian assistance to the vulnerable refugee families in India and Malaysia
- Providing financial assistance to the refugee children education
- Providing capacity training to refugee organisation.
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Address: 208 Oakwood Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M6E 2V4
Tel: 416-469-9754
Email: info@fcjrefugeecentre.org
With an open door approach, FCJ Refugee Centre offers an integrated model of refugee protection, settlement and educational services, and shelter for woman and their children. The Centre’s mandate is to assist refugees and other uprooted people in re-establishing their lives and integrate into Canadian society by: 1) offering inclusive and timely counseling and support, including interpretation, pro bono legal support, information and referral, mentoring and employment training programs on Canadian culture and life, as well as other educational workshops; 2) Providing temporary shelter for woman and children and ; 3) collaborating with relevant organizations to deliver popular education about the immigration and refugee process, as well as on the protection of the human rights and dignity of uprooted people.
Website
Address:151 Slater Street, Suite 505 Ottawa, ON K1P 5H3 Canada
Tel: +613.237 0651
Fax: +613.237 8561
Email: iomottawa@iom.int
Canada was one of the founding members of IOM in 1951. Since then, IOM has collaborated closely with the Canadian Government, and Canadian organizations and institutions to analyze migration legislation and assistance in Canada.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Canada’s interest surrounding issues of migration governance grew and IOM, in conjunction with the Government, worked to promote a comprehensive approach to migration. Between 1952 and 1989, IOM provided assistance to mobilize more than 460,000 people to Canada.
At the end of 2015, the Government of Canada requested IOM to support the Prime Minister’s commitment to admit 25,000 Syrian refugees from the Middle East. IOM quickly deployed logistics and operational staff from around the globe to complete the humanitarian operation which spanned three months from December 2015 through February 2016. IOM worked closely with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), other relevant government counterparts, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and various implementing partners to register, process and move refugees from Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey.
During the operation, IOM arranged for 97 charter flights bound for Canada, arriving at points of entry in Montreal and Toronto. In total, more than 26,000 Syrians travelled under IOM auspices.
Today, IOM has one office in Ottawa, Canada, with principal responsibilities relating to Canada’s Refugee and Humanitarian Resettlement Program.
Website
Address: PO Box 21732,1424 Commercial Drive,Vancouver BC,V5L 5G3
Tel: 604.255.9691
Email: info@kinbrace.ca
Contact person: Fran Gallo
Kinbrace is a non-governmental organisation which welcomes refugee claimants by providing housing, orientation, accompaniment, education, and support. They welcome those arriving in Canada who are seeking refugee protection and who need housing and support while doing so. Kinbrace helps refugees with the complex legal and bureaucratic systems that they encounter upon arrival which are often experienced as overwhelming and even traumatic, especially when coupled with the experience of exile.
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Address: 959 Wellington Street West, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 2X5
Tel: 61 37 25 02 02 or 61 37 25 56 71
Fax: 61 37 25 90 54
Email: info@ociso.org
Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization (OCISO) is a non-profit organization that has been assisting immigrants and refugees with settlement and integration issues since 1978. OCISO are a multi-service agency with programs for students and schools, English language training, immigrant women, job seekers, victims of torture, families and communities. Their services help newcomers to help themselves by providing information, counselling, and support. Legal Aid is available to low income individuals and disadvantaged communities for a variety of legal problems, including criminal matters, family disputes, immigration and refugee hearings and poverty law issues such as landlord/tenant disputes, disability support and family benefits payments.
Website
Address: 194 Jarvis Street, 2nd Floor, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2B7
Tel: 416-363-1066
Fax: 416-363-2122
Email: mabai@cctv.org
The Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture (CCVT) is a non-profit, founded by several Toronto doctors, lawyers and social service professionals, many of whom were associated with Amnesty International. They had begun to see survivors of torture in their practices as early as 1977. Many of the survivors were in the process of claiming refugee status in Canada. The doctors saw the need for specialized counseling for the social and legal problems faced by these clients. Lawyers, social workers and community groups saw clients who were survivors of torture, and in need of treatment by doctors and other health professionals. They are open on Saturdays from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm.
Website
Address: 95 Ellen Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3A 1S8 CANADA
Tel: 1 (204) 94 38 765
Email: info@ircom.ca
The Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba Inc. (IRCOM) is a non-profit organisation that operates a 5 storey transitional housing complex in Winnipeg called IRCOM House. IRCOM House offers secure, affordable and clean 2 and 3-bedroom apartments to newcomers for up to 3 years after their arrival. In addition, IRCOM provides onsite supports and services including an After-School Program that runs five nights a week and a Community Resource Program that connects residents with employment, education, and various health resources throughout Winnipeg. IRCOM also runs the Newcomer Literacy Initiative which consists of daily English as an Additional Language classes with free childminding services available.
Canada LGBTQI+ Resources
Find organisations working for refugee LGBTQI+ rights in Canada.
Canada COI
Find Canada Country of Origin information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents.
We are always looking to expand the resources on our platform. If you know about relevant resources, or you are aware of organisations and/or individuals to include in our directories, please get in touch.
Last updated May 2023