Learn about the difference between Government Assisted Refugees, Privately Sponsored Refugees, and Refugee Claimants.
Explore the journey of a Refugee Claimant.
Understand the asylum claim process in Canada.
Understanding Refugee Claimants
Types of Refugees in Canada
Refugee claimants have fled to Canada because their lives were in imminent danger. They leave behind their family, friends, careers, status, and everything familiar- and will likely never return home. Most come with only what they can carry and have exhausted their resources to get here. Most arrive with little to no money left, no knowledge of how to navigate the refugee/immigration system and speak little to no English. Their process is long, and they have less support when they arrive compared to other kinds of refugees.
The Refugee Journey
The Refugee Claim Process
From the moment they arrive, Refugee Claimants spend every day wondering if they will be able to stay here in Canada or get sent back to their home country. The process from making a claim to citizenship can take five years. In that time, they must find a lawyer, collect all the evidence that proves their lives were in danger, attend several hearings in Vancouver, and wait. They wait for housing, work permits, jobs, education opportunities, answers from lawyers, and the verdict from a judge. It is a long and stressful process as they begin to build a new life here that they might have to leave.