GUIDE TO CLAIMING
REFUGEE STATUS
Chair of International Migration Law
Université de Montréal
Note: This guide provides general information on making a refugee
status claim. For advice about your personal situation, please contact a
lawyer
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1. STEPS TOWARD OBTAINING REFUGEE STATUS
1-Claim made to an
immigration officer
You make a claim for refugee status at the border or an
Immigration Canada office. The immigration officer asks
questions and takes notes, but he has no authority to decide
whether you should be accepted as a refugee.
Note: The immigration officer’s notes remain in your file.
The Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) sends you a very
important document called the “Personal Information
Form” (PIF).
2 - Complete the
Personal
Information Form
(PIF)
You must complete this form and return it to the Immigration
and Refugee Board (IRB) no later than 28 days from the
date you receive the PIF. If the IRB does not receive your
PIF within 28 days after the date you received it, your
refugee status claim could be rejected.
If you think that you will not be able to complete and
return the PIF within this 28-day period, you or your lawyer
can ask for an extension. The request must be made within
the 28-day period. Such extensions are rarely granted, so it is
always best to submit the PIF within the 28-day period.
It is very important to get help from a lawyer to complete
the PIF. The PIF is the most important document for your
refugee claim, so it is essential that it be well written.
Before your refugee status hearing, make sure that all
3- Make sure all the documents that could support your claim are in your IRB file
documents
(see page 12 for details).
supporting your
claim are in your
Your lawyer will tell you what documents are needed and will
IRB file
put them in the IRB file, but you can do your part by trying to
get all the documents that could support your claim as
early as possible.
4- The IRB refugee
status hearing
At the refugee status hearing, you will tell the IRB judge
about the events that make you afraid to return to your
country.
Your lawyer will be there to help you, but it will be up to you
to convince the IRB that you should be accepted as a
refugee. In general, the refugee status hearing takes place
about 9 months after you return the PIF to the IRB.
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2. FINDING A LEGAL COUNSEL
It is very important to be assisted by a competent legal counsel at all stages of your
refugee claim process. A legal counsel may be a lawyer or a consultant. Here are the
differences.
LAWYER
o Has a law degree from a Canadian
university
CONSULTANT
o May not have studied law in university
or have a law degree
o Can represent you in Federal Court o Not able to represent you in Federal
if your refugee claim is rejected.
Court if your refugee claim is rejected.
o In some cases, can be paid by a
Legal Aid mandate. If so, you have
nothing to pay.
o Can never be paid by a Legal Aid
mandate. In all cases, you have to pay
the consultant yourself.
o Lawyers are members of the Quebec
Bar Association, a professional
organization responsible for making
sure that lawyers respect
professional standards.
o Consultants must be members of the
Canadian Society of Immigration
Consultants in order to represent clients
for refugee claims. The CSIC ensures
that consultants are adequately trained.
o Before you decide on a lawyer,
CHECK to find out if the lawyer has
experience in immigration.
o Before you decide on a consultant,
CHECK to make sure that the
consultant is a member of this Society.
To find a lawyer specialized in
immigration, call the Quebec Bar
Association (Montreal) at 514-8662490
1 Notre-Dame East, suite 9.80
www.barreau.qc.ca/montreal
For more information: Canadian Society
of Immigration Consultants 1-866-3082742
www.csic-scci.ca
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Do asylum seekers have to pay for legal services?
o Asylum seekers have the right to be represented free of charge by a lawyer
employed by Legal Aid OR by a private lawyer who is paid under a Legal
Aid mandate.
o Unfortunately, few lawyers accept to be paid by a Legal Aid mandate because
Legal Aid does not pay much. Right from the start, ask your lawyer if he
will accept to be paid by a Legal Aid mandate.
o Lawyers are not allowed to ask you to pay a supplement if they are being
paid by a Legal Aid mandate.
o If you are unable to find a private lawyer who will accept a Legal Aid mandate,
you will have to pay all the costs yourself. Ask your lawyer (or consultant)
how much it will cost from the beginning to the end of the legal procedures.
We will use the term ‘lawyer’ to designate legal counsel in the rest of this document.
Role of the lawyer
Your lawyer’s role is to help you at every step of your refugee claim. In particular,
he should:
o Help you complete the Personal Information Form (PIF).
o Make sure that all the necessary documents are in your IRB file
o Help you prepare for the IRB hearing.
o Help you explain your story at the IRB hearing
o Help you take appropriate action if your refugee claim is rejected
If you are not satisfied with your lawyer, you have the right to change lawyers. If you
do, the lawyer must give you back your documents.
It is vital to tell your lawyer all the facts related to your refugee claim. It is
particularly important to inform your lawyer about weak points in your story, to
avoid last-minute surprises at the hearing.
Sometimes it may be difficult to talk about certain painful experiences, but it is
important that your lawyer be aware of everything that you have been through.
Everything you tell your lawyer is confidential.
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3. The Personal Information Form (PIF)
Before meeting with your lawyer, it is a good idea to write a detailed description of
all the events on which your refugee claim is based. Your lawyer will use this
information to prepare a final version of the PIF.
Try to include all the essential relevant facts. The PIF must
be as complete as possible.
The PIF provides two pages to tell your story, but you can write
more if necessary. Your lawyer will decide which facts should
be included in the final version of the PIF.
Include all the
essential
relevant facts
For each event, explain:
- What happened
- When it happened
- Where it happened
- Why it happened (if you know – but do not speculate
about the reasons if you do not know)
If you forget to mention an essential fact in your PIF, and
you wait until the day of your IRB refugee claim hearing to
mention it, there is a risk that the IRB judge will think that you
made it up at the last minute.
If you have already filled in your PIF, and you realize that you
forgot to mention an important fact, tell your lawyer as soon as
possible. He can correct the PIF before the IRB hearing.
Describe events
in order
Describe events in the order in which they happened; it will be
easier for the IRB judge to understand your story.
Precise dates
Mention precise dates if you remember them. If you are not
sure, do not make them up or try to guess!
If you do not remember the exact date of an event, give an
approximate date. For example, you might say that the event
happened “early in September 2007” or “in the spring of 2005” or
“shortly after the elections of May 2004”.
The IRB judge will read your PIF before the hearing. His first
impression of your case will be based on what you have written in
the PIF, so it is very important to explain as clearly as possible in
the PIF the facts on which your refugee status claim is based.
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Basic principles - PIF and testimony
Tell the truth
If the IRB judge discovers that you have hidden relevant facts, or that you have not
told the truth, even about minor points, this may lead him to doubt your entire story.
Some lawyers, consultants or smugglers may tell you “I have a good story for you –
it’s sure to work!” In fact, this type of strategy often leads to rejection of the refugee
claim because:
 The story has been ‘sold’ to other claimants. The IRB judge has probably
already heard the story many times and knows that it is fabricated;
 When a story is memorized, it shows: the person doesn’t look sincere and
is likely to get mixed up or to forget parts of the story.
Avoid contradictions in the story that you tell at different steps in the refugee
claims process.
 If there are contradictions between the statements you make at different
steps in the process, the IRB judge may doubt your sincerity.
Question: If I realize that I made a false or incomplete statement,
what should I do?
Do NOT conclude: « At the border, I said something that was untrue, but I will not
change my story because it would look as if I was contradicting myself ».
On the contrary: the best strategy is to make corrections as soon as possible,
and to explain why you made a false or incomplete declaration in the past.
The sooner you correct your statement, the less it will hurt your credibility
Discuss this with your lawyer
Tell your story the way you experienced it, and talk about how you felt. It
is important to try to communicate with the IRB judge at a human level,
to convince him that you are sincere, that you personally experienced the
events that you describe, and that you truly are afraid to be sent back to
your country of origin
The IRB hearing is not open to the public. It is important to talk about all
the events that made you decide to leave your country, even if it is
painful. Statements that you make at the hearing will remain confidential.
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Before signing your PIF…
 Check to make sure there are no mistakes and that all the important
facts are mentioned. When you sign the PIF, you are confirming that
everything written in the PIF is true, as if you were under oath.
 If you realize that there are mistakes or omissions, ask that the
corrections be made before you sign the PIF.
Some lawyers or consultants will ask you to sign a blank PIF, telling you that they
will complete it themselves on the basis of the information you have provided. Never
sign a blank PIF.
If you do not speak either English or French fluently
 Demand that the final version of the PIF be read back to you in your
native language by an interpreter. You will then be able to make
corrections, if necessary.
4. Refugee definition according to Canadian law
Even if you have been through very difficult experiences, this may not be enough to
be accepted as a refugee. Your experience must fit into the legal definition of a
refugee.
Here is the definition of a refugee according to the laws of Canada. To be accepted
as a refugee in Canada, you must prove to the IRB that you fit into at least one of
the categories mentioned in the definition.
A refugee is a person who has serious reasons to fear that if he were sent
back to the country of which he is a citizen:
1. He would be persecuted because of his:
- race, ethnicity or language, or
- nationality, or
- religion, or
- belonging to a particular social group, or
- political opinions.
OR
2. He would be exposed to:
- a risk of torture, or
- a risk to his life, or
- a risk of cruel or unusual treatment or punishment
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Let’s now look at this definition in greater detail:
A refugee is a person who has serious reasons to fear that if he were sent back
to the country of origin, he would be persecuted for one of the following
reasons:
Race, ethnicity, or
language
The word ‘race’ includes ethnic identity and language
Nationality
Nationality = being a citizen of a country
Religion
(or the refusal to
practice a religion)
This includes persecution based on:
- belonging to a religious group or practicing religious rites
or customs
- refusal to join a religious group or to conform to religious
rules
Examples of a ‘particular social group’:
Belonging to a
particular social
group
The immediate family of a person who is persecuted for
reasons mentioned in this definition. For example, a
person whose life is threatened because the father or the
spouse is a political opponent of the government (even if the
individual is not personally involved in political activity).
A woman who is beaten by her husband
Homosexuals who are severely mistreated
Political opinions
This includes persecution because the person:
- is active in an opposition political party or political
movement;
- publicly criticized the government or armed rebel forces;
- is involved in defending human rights in a country in which
other human rights defenders have been mistreated or killed;
- because the government or armed rebel groups believe,
rightly or wrongly, that the person is a political opponent
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You may also be accepted as a refugee if you fit the following definition:
A refugee is a person who has serious reasons to fear that if he were sent back to
the country of origin, he would be exposed to:
A risk of torture
by government authorities, or with the complicity or tolerance of
government authorities
A threat to the
person’s life
This does NOT include:
- individuals whose life is threatened by ‘natural’ catastrophes
such as an epidemic or a famine, or by lack of adequate
health care
- individuals who, in the context of armed conflict, are
exposed to the same risks as everybody else. You must
show that you are personally at risk or that you belong to a
group that is targeted.
Examples of individuals who ARE included :
A risk of cruel or
unusual
treatment or
punishment
-
a person threatened by a criminal gang but who has not
committed any crime himself;
-
a person threatened by the police because he denounced
police corruption;
-
individuals whose lives are threatened because they refuse
to collaborate with soldiers or an armed rebel group
This includes :
- torture by non-governmental agents;
- an extreme punishment such as stoning
To be accepted as a refugee, you need to convince the IRB that you fit
into one (or several) of the categories listed on pages 7 to 9.
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To be accepted as a refugee, you must in all cases also prove two other
facts:
NO OTHER
SAFE REGION
IN YOUR
COUNTRY
There is no other region in your country of origin in which
you would be safe, or that it would have been very difficult for
you to go to this region.
Government authorities of your country (for example, the
police) refuse or are unable to protect you against your
persecutors.
Examples:
 The police, soldiers or other government agents are
themselves involved in the acts of persecution.
NO STATE
PROTECTION
 The government is unable or unwilling to protect citizens
against aggression carried out by armed groups (rebels and
paramilitaries).
 A woman who is beaten by her husband, but who does not go
to the police because she knows of other cases when women
have complained to the police for this reason, and the police
have refused to take measures to protect them.
 A man who is beaten up because he is a homosexual. He
goes to see the police to try to file a complaint against the
people who beat him up, but the police laugh at him, insult
him and refuse to take his complaint.
To sum up, you must prove that:
 If you are sent back to the country of which you are a citizen, you would run
a serious risk of severe mistreatment.
 You are at risk for one of the reasons mentioned in the law (see pages 6-8)
 The authorities in your country refuse to protect you, or are unable to do
so, and you would not be safe anywhere in your country.
How can you prove these facts?
 By describing the mistreatment that you have experienced yourself
 By describing the mistreatment experienced by people like you
For example: you left your country because other members of the political
movement that you belonged to were arrested, and were afraid that you
would also be arrested if you stayed in your country.
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5. Explaining delays
If there have been delays, you must explain the reason for these delays.
Please discuss this question with your lawyer.
If there was a delay between
the events on which your
refugee claim is based
AND the moment when you
left your country of origin
If, after being detained, attacked or threatened, you
waited for some time before leaving your country
of origin, the IRB may sometimes say that this
shows that you were not really afraid, or that the
persecution was not really serious.
You will have to explain the reasons for this ‘delay’,
such as: family obligations, lack of money, difficulty
obtaining travel documents, or similar difficulties.
If there was a delay between
the moment when you left
your country of origin AND
the moment when you
made a claim for refugee
status
If you stayed in other countries after leaving your
country of origin, before coming to Canada, you
must explain why you did not make a refugee claim
in these countries.
If you only made a stopover in another country, this
will usually not pose a problem (unless you came by
way of the United States). However, if you stayed for
a longer period in a third country, you will have to
explain why you did not claim refugee status in that
country.
If you did make a refugee claim in another country,
but it was rejected, you will also have to explain the
circumstances.
In most cases, the IRB will have copies of all the
documents from the other countries in which you
have lived or transited.
If you did not claim refugee In some cases, the IRB may say that delay in asking
status immediately as soon for refugee status shows that you were not really
as you arrived in Canada.
afraid of being sent back to your country. If so, you
must explain why you did not claim refugee status as
soon as you arrived in Canada.
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6. Steps leading up to the refugee status hearing
Check your IRB file
o Before the hearing, you can help your lawyer check whether all the information in
your IRB file is accurate.
o In particular: check the immigration officer’s report on the declarations you
made when you first asked for refugee status (at the border or the Immigration
Canada office).
o If the immigration officer did not accurately report what you said, alert your
lawyer as early as possible. He will notify the IRB that you challenge the accuracy
of the officer’s report. Otherwise, the apparent ‘contradictions’ between the
officer’s report and your later declarations may harm your credibility.
Adding documents to your IRB file
If your story is confirmed by documents or photographs, this may make it more
credible. Your lawyer will tell you what documents would be useful, but you can help
by informing your lawyer of the existence of relevant documents, or of people
who can confirm your version of the facts.
Often it takes a long time to obtain documents, so it is wise to start as early as
possible.
Examples of documents supporting your refugee claim
o A written document signed under oath by a person who has personal
knowledge of an essential element of your story (an affidavit).
 Normally witnesses must testify in person, but when the witness
lives in another country he or she is allowed to give testimony in
writing. The testimony will be taken more seriously if it the person
swears under oath that it is true.
o A certificate from a doctor or a psychologist confirming that you have physical
or emotional symptoms as a consequence of the mistreatment that you have
suffered (see page 15, Health and Social Services)
o A membership card, if you were persecuted for membership in a political party
o A photograph or a newspaper article that shows that you took part in an event
that led to your persecution or mistreatment.
Documents on the situation in your country of origin
o The IRB judge who will hear your refugee status claim will have, in his file,
documents on the political and social conditions in your country.
o You have the right to visit the IRB Documentation Centre to check whether
the information in their reports on your country is accurate and up to date. If
not, it may be important for your lawyer to file additional documents containing
the correct information. You can help your lawyer find such documents.
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Sources of documents on country conditions
IRB Documentation Centre
Guy-Favreau Building, East Tower, Suite 102
200 René-Lévesque Boulevard West
(Place d’Armes or Place-des-Arts Métro)
514-496-1258 or 514-282-7733
IRB database on country conditions
www.cisr-irb.gc.ca/en/research/ndp/index_e.htm?
Other sources of information on country conditions
Amnesty International: web.amnesty.org/library/fraindex
Human Rights Watch: www.hrw.org/
Rights and Democracy:
www.dd-rd.ca/site/documentation/index.php?lang=en&id=&action
U.S. Reports on Human Rights Practices: http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/
Foreign Affairs Canada: www.voyage.gc.ca/dest/ctry/profiles-en.asp
To be accepted as a refugee, you must establish your identity
 If you do not have official identity papers, ask your lawyer how to obtain them.
 You are not obliged to contact your embassy or consulate to obtain proof
of your identity, especially if this could put you in danger (for example, if you are
being persecuted by your government). If you think that the only way that you
can prove your identity is by contacting your embassy, discuss this with your
lawyer beforehand.
Using false documents: consequences?
 If you used false documents to leave your country or to enter Canada, this
will not necessarily prevent you from obtaining refugee status. Using false
documents to leave your country may be considered justified if you can show that
you did so because you were afraid that the authorities would try to prevent you
from leaving your country if you used your own identity papers.
 However, it is not a good idea to obtain false identity papers after arriving in
Canada. If you do so, this could lead to rejection of your claim for refugee status.
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7. REFUGEE STATUS DETERMINATION HEARING
Sometimes, when a case is very simple, it may be referred to the fast-track
procedure. In such a case, the decision is made by an Immigration and Refugee
Board (IRB) employee following an interview with the asylum seeker.
However, the vast majority of cases are heard by an IRB judge, and the procedure is
similar to a court hearing.
Participants at the hearing
ASYLUM
SEEKER
Explains the events that led him to ask for refugee status and
answers questions asked by the IRB judge, the Refugee Protection
Officer and the asylum seeker’s lawyer.
The IRB judge:
IRB JUDGE
 Reads the file before the hearing;
 Listens and asks questions during the hearing;
 Decides whether refugee status will be granted, based on
the asylum seeker’s testimony and the entire file.
The RPO is a civil servant employed by the IRB.
 Before the hearing, the RPO makes sure that all the relevant
REFUGEE
documents are in the file;
PROTECTION
 During the hearing, the RPO asks you questions.
OFFICER
Sometimes, there is no RPO, and the IRB judge asks all the
(RPO)
questions.
Your lawyer:
 Makes sure the judge is aware of the strong points of your
YOUR
story
LAWYER
 Can object if questions are too insistent
IRB hearings take place in either English or French. If you are not
sure that you speak English or French fluently enough, your lawyer
INTERPRETER can ask for an interpreter.
 The interpreter is an independent professional who is
provided free of charge by the IRB;
 The interpreter must accurately translate everything that is
said during the hearing. Before the hearing starts, talk to the
interpreter to make sure that you understand each other.
 If you think that the interpreter is not translating correctly or
if you do not understand him, notify your lawyer immediately
so that he can have the interpreter replaced.
IRB hearings are held in private for your protection, but you can ask a friend to
accompany you if you wish.
Children under 18 will be accompanied by a Designated Representative. Adults who
have certain difficulties (for example, mental health problems) may also be
accompanied by a Designated Representative.
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Preparing for the IRB refugee status hearing
o Your lawyer will meet with you before the hearing to help you prepare yourself.
o The day before the IRB hearing, it is a good idea to re-read your Personal
Information Form (PIF) to refresh your memory about the main dates and facts.
o However, do not try to memorize your story. Testimony that has been learned
‘by heart’ often does not sound sincere.
Procedure at the IRB refugee status hearing
o The hearing lasts about two to three hours on average
o You will be asked questions by the IRB judge, and also by the Refugee Protection
Officer if present
o Before the hearing, the IRB judge reads your file and forms a first
impression of your case. He will already have read documents on the situation
in your country, and has probably already decided other cases from your country.
The IRB judge therefore already has some knowledge of your case and of the
situation in your country.
o Often, the IRB judge and the Refugee Protection Officer will ask questions about
what they see as contradictions or unlikely statements:
- in your previous declarations (for example, your PIF);
- between your testimony and your previous declarations, or between your
testimony and other documents in your file
o Sometimes, you may be asked the same question several times. Often, the
goal is to check whether you will always give the same answer. If you are telling
the truth, do not be afraid to repeat it. Do not change your answer. You may add
explanations if the judge or the officer do not seem to understand.
o If necessary, your lawyer will also ask you some questions to help you explain
your story more clearly.
o At the end of the hearing, the judge will ask if you have anything further to add. If
you think that an important fact has not been mentioned or is not clear
enough, this is your chance to mention it.
Decision on refugee status
o Sometimes, the IRB judge will announce his decision right away at the end of the
hearing.
o But most of the time, the decision will be sent to you in writing in the weeks or
months following the hearing.
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Some suggestions on how to behave during the hearing
o Always maintain a polite and respectful attitude towards all individuals present
at the hearing
o It is important that the judge be able to see your face at all times because he is
trying to decide whether you are telling the truth. It is often said that “Eyes are the
mirror of the soul”. Therefore, it is important to look directly at the IRB judge so
that he can read your sincerity in your eyes.
o Answer questions soberly and without exaggeration. Just explain what
happened to you.
o Focus on the essential elements of your story as summarized in your PIF
o If you do not understand a question, say so immediately. The person will repeat
the question in clearer terms.
o If you are not sure of the answer to a question, do not try to make up an
answer. Just say that you don’t know, or that you are not sure.
o Only give dates if you are sure of them. If you are not sure, it is better to give
an approximate date (for example “I think that it happened in early September
2006” or “It happened in the spring of 2005” or “It happened during Ramadan in
2004”), or to say that you do not remember the date. Never invent a date.
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8. Main factors that the IRB takes into account
Legal
definition of
refugee
The IRB judge must be convinced that your experience fits the
legal definition of a refugee (see pages 7 to 10).
The IRB judge will ask himself:
Consistency
and
plausibility of
your story
1. Is the story you tell at the IRB hearing the same as the one
you told:
- To the Immigration Officer when you asked for refugee status;
- In the Personal Information Form (PIF);
- At your detention review hearing (if you were detained)
The IRB judge will have a file containing all your previous
declarations relating to your refugee status claim. If you made a
claim in another country, the IRB will probably also have these
documents.
2. Is your story plausible?
The IRB judge will have read documents on the situation in your
country, but he may not be familiar with some of the customs and
the daily life in your country. It is up to you to explain these to him.
Otherwise, the judge may conclude that your story is not plausible
because he is basing his opinion on what would be normal in
Canada.
Documents
confirming
your story
If your story is confirmed by documents or other evidence, this
may help make your story more credible.
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Finally, the main factor that the IRB judge will take into account is
your sincerity.
Tell your story the way you experienced it, and talk about how you felt.
Do not make up answers to try to please the judge; just describe your
personal experience.
At the end of the IRB hearing, the judge must be convinced that you
personally experienced the events that you describe, and that you truly
are afraid to be sent back to your country of origin.
9. AFTER THE REFUGEE STATUS HEARING
A. IF YOU ARE ACCEPTED
o As soon as you are accepted, you can apply for permanent residence for yourself,
your spouse and your children.
o In general, you must apply within 6 months after the IRB decision.
B. IF YOU ARE REJECTED
o There is no appeal against the IRB decision on refugee status.
o There are three types of legal action that you may take
Judicial review by the Federal Court
o The application must be filed within 15 days of the IRB decision
o Only a lawyer can file an application for judicial review with the Federal Court
o The Federal Court will intervene only if it is convinced that the IRB judge made a
very serious and obvious error
Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA)
o
o Following a negative decision by the IRB or the Federal Court, you will receive a
letter from the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) inviting you to an
appointment and mentioning that you may be able to ask for a Pre-Removal Risk
Assessment (PRRA).
o As soon as you receive this letter, contact a lawyer or a community group
before going to your appointment at the CBSA. The CBSA agent may ask you
questions before giving you the Pre-Removal Risk Assessment Formula, and it is
very important to give the right answers.
o Deadline to complete the Pre-Removal Risk Assessment Formula (PRRA):
15 days to fill in and return the formula. You then have another 15 days to
provide documents and written arguments in support of your demand.
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Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA) (continued))
o You must prove (in writing):
 That the situation has changed since the IRB hearing, or that there is
new evidence that was not available at the time of the IRB hearing AND
 That this evidence shows that your refugee status claim is well-founded.
Application for permanent residence on humanitarian and
compassionate grounds
o Immigration Canada formula
o You must prove (in writing):
 That being sent back to your country of origin would cause you very
serious problems AND
 That you are well integrated in Canada (for example, that you have a job, are
involved in the community, have family members in Canada, and so on)
Please note: the fact that your application is under consideration does not prevent
the Canadian government from deporting you.
10. Resources for refugee claimants
A. Health care and social services
The Regional Program for the Settlement of Asylum Seekers (PRAIDA)
is a public agency that offers free medical care, advice and support for
asylum seekers and refugees and their families.
 Clinique Santé-Accueil (PRAIDA)
Free medical care for asylum seekers and their families.
5700 Côte-des-Neiges, Montreal, 1st floor (Côte-des-Neiges Metro)
Tel. 514-731-8531
 Social Services (PRAIDA)
Social services for asylum seekers and refugees: advice and help to obtain
social welfare, housing, a work permit, etc.
Counselling and support for individuals and families in difficulty.
Accompanying youths under age 18 and individuals in need of emotional
support to their IRB hearing.
5700 Côte-des-Neiges, Montreal, 3rd floor (Côte-des-Neiges Metro)
Tel. 514-731-8531
Or YMCA (Tupper St.) for YMCA residents.
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B. Community organizations
Several community organizations offer advice on completing your Personal
Information Form (PIF). This information can be very useful, but it is still essential to
obtain help from a legal counsellor (lawyer or consultant) to write the PIF.
Accueil
Liaison Pour
Arrivants
(ALPA)
Action
Refugiés
Montréal
Amnesty
International
Carrefour
d’aide aux
nouveaux
arrivants
Help in writing the Personal Information Form (PIF) and support for
refugee claim proceedings. French classes.
‘Twinning’ with Montreal residents. Integration into Quebec society.
1490 De La Salle Avenue, Montreal, 514- 255-9664
Help for persons detained on immigration grounds or their relatives.
For women: ‘twinning’ with Montreal residents
1439 Saint-Catherine West, suite 2, Montreal, 514-935-7799
Information on the human rights situation all over the world.
514-766-9766
Advice and help on getting settled in Montreal.
French classes. Community activities and social events. Legal
advice. Help with translating documents.
1070 rue Chambord, Montreal, 514-382-0735
Carrefour de Advice and accompaniment to get settled. Translation of
Liaison et
documents, help to find a place to live, French classes, workshop on
d’aide
job searching, activities for the family.
multiethnique 7290 Hutchison, Parc-Extension, 514-271-8207
Advice and support on refugee claims.
Comité d’aide
518 Beaubien East, Montreal, 514-272-6060
aux réfugiés
CARI
Centre Social
d’Aide aux
Immigrations
Centre des
femmes de
Montréal
Help to find a place to live.
1179, Boulevard Décarie, St-Laurent, 514-748-2007
Advice and assistance in finding housing, a job, and other aspects
of settling in. French classes.
4285 de Maisonneuve West, Montreal, 514-932-2953
Community activities and support groups for women.
3885 St-Urbain, Montreal, 514-842-4780
L’Hirondelle
Help to find housing. Translation. Accompanying refugee claimants
to medical appointments and other appointments.
4652 Jeanne-Mance, 2nd and 3rd floor, 514-281-2038
Maison de
l’Amitié
French classes. Help to find housing. Legal information.
120 Duluth East, Montreal, 514-843-4356
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La
Maisonnée
Montreal
City Mission
Projet
Genèse
Promis
Food for people in need. Help to find housing. French classes. Help
writing the Personal Information Form (PIF).
6865 Christophe-Colomb, 514-271-3533
Legal information. Help writing the Personal Information Form
(PIF). Accompanying refugee claimants to appointments with
Immigration Canada, the Welfare Office, etc.
1435 City Councillor Street, Montreal, 514-844-9128
Information on your rights as a tenant.
4735 Côte Ste-Catherine, Montreal, 514-738-2036
Help to find housing.
5770 Cote des Neiges, Montreal, 514-345-1615
RIVO
Advice and support for victims of organized violence (rape, torture).
Referral to professionals specializing in medical or psychological
help for these types of problem
120 Duluth Street, Montreal, 514-282-0661
R.O.M.E.L
Help to find housing
6555 Côte des Neiges, office 400, 514-341-1057
Legal information on immigration
Scalabrini
Advice on finding a job, housing and education
Center for
French classes and internet access
Migrants and Food, clothing and furniture for people in need
Refugees
655 Sauriol East, Montreal, tel :514-387-4477
South East
Asian
Women
Center
Solidarity
without
Borders
Interpreters available in most languages spoken in Afghanistan,
Pakistan, Bengladesh, Sri Lanka, and South-East Asian countries.
Help to find housing. English classes.
Tuesday evenings: social activities for women.
Each last Friday of the month: community dinners and information
sessions.
Free summer camps for 4-14 years old (minimal registration fees)
1035 Rue Rachel East, 2nd floor, tel : 514-528-8812
Support for people whose refugee claim has been refused or who
are threatened with deportation.
sansfrontieres@resist.ca Tel. 514-859-9023
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