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:
- 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, which provides the internationally recognised definition of a refugee and outlines the legal protection, rights, and assistance a refugee is entitled to receive
- 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, which expands the Convention to apply universally and protect all persons fleeing conflict and persecution.
- 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, which sets rules for the conferral and non-withdrawal of citizenship to prevent cases of statelessness from arising.
Canada has also ratified several other international legal instruments that also relate to treatment of refugees, including the:
- Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), which requires signatories to take effective measures to prevent acts of torture
- International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which sets out protections for a wide range of human rights, including freedom from torture and other cruel or unusual punishment, fair trial rights, equality, and non-discrimination
- International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), which ensures the enjoyment of economic, social, and cultural rights to education, fair and just working conditions, adequate standards of living, social security, and the highest attainable standard of health
- Convention on the Rights of the Child, which protects children’s rights and obliges public bodies to consider children’s best interests (with reservations to Article 21, Article 30 and Article 37 (c))
- Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which seeks to eliminate disability discrimination and safeguard the rights of disabled people
- International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), which obliges signatories to take action to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination
- Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which sets out provisions to ensure women’s full enjoyment of human rights on an equal basis with men
In addition to its obligations under the aforementioned international instruments, Canada is obligated to respect the international customary legal principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits any country from deporting any person to a country where they face the threat of persecution.
Canada’s Constitution includes the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (CCRF) which guarantees certain fundamental rights and freedoms to everyone in Canada regardless of citizenship or immigration status. This includes Section 2 of the CCRF guaranteeing the freedom of religion, thought, and opinion; Section 7, which guarantees everyone the right to life, liberty and security of the person, which guidance on the CCRF interprets to include unjust state actions such as deportation and persecution; Sections 9-11 on the right to not be arbitrarily detained or imprisoned, and to due process; Section 12 on the protection against cruel and unusual treatment or punishment; and Section 15 on equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination.
Canada’s national refugee legal framework comprises 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. Amongst others, the Pre-Removal Risk Assessment for persons facing removal from Canada is outlined in the IRPA.
The Refugee Protection Division (RPD) within the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) oversees asylum claims and conducts refugee status determination hearings. The Refugee Appeal Division gives claimants the chance to challenge negative RPD decisions. The Canada-Quebec Accord on Immigration also provides guidance on immigration policies within Quebec specifically, such as selection and sponsorship of immigrants.
The Safe Third Country Agreement provides that people entering Canada from the United States along the land border (including internal waterways) are not eligible to make a refugee claim and will be returned to the United States unless they meet one of four exceptions (family members; unaccompanied minors; document holders; and public interest). This is due to the designation of the United States as a safe third country for the purpose of sharing the responsibility for refugee claims and on the basis that the United States respects human rights and offers a high degree of protection to asylum seekers.
Canada also operates a refugee resettlement program, the Government-Assisted Refugees program, for vulnerable refugees referred by UNHCR or another referral organisation. Refugees may also be resettled in Canada through private sponsorship operated by the federal government; the province of Quebec runs a separate private sponsorship program, the Program for Refugees Abroad. Legal aid services and integration support are available to refugees across the country.
You may be eligible for refugee protection in Canada if you meet the definition of a Convention refugee or if you are a person in need of protection, as defined in the IRPA. The Government of Canada provides detailed information for the various processes online. This includes answers to frequently asked questions, the process for Syrian refugees specifically, and a claimant’s kit on important instructions. A number of legal aid clinics, outlined below, can provide you with assistance on the relevant processes and application forms.
Kinbrace, a Vancouver-based NGO, has published a guide to making refugee claims in Canada. You may find this guide useful to help navigate the refugee determination system including in preparation of relevant hearings and in the event of detention. The Guide is available in English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Mongolian, Somali, Urdu, Farsi, Tigrigna and Sorani Kurdish.
Generally, there are two scenarios for you to make a claim for asylum in Canada:
- You are applying for asylum at the border (airport, seaport, land border)
- You are applying for asylum within the Canadian territory
If you are applying for asylum at the Canadian border, you will have to share your intent of applying for asylum with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). You will have to present your identity documents to the CBSA, who will then take your photos and fingerprints, and conduct an eligibility interview during which you will be asked about your background, your reason for coming to Canada, and the dangers you face in your home country. You will usually complete the application in person but it may be the case that you are invited back to the port of entry or another office for a future interview date, or you may be asked to submit the claim online. If the claim is eligible, it will be referred to the RPD for a decision. The RPD will then provide a Refugee Protection Claimant Document in order to provide you with access to the Interim Federal Health Program and other services in Canada. The RPD also provides a Confirmation of Referral letter, confirming the claim has been referred to the IRB and providing a detailed guide on the process for refugee claimants and a Basis of Claim Form (BOC Form) opportunity to give details about yourself, your identity, travel history, and why you are claiming refugee protection in Canada. The BOC form needs to be submitted no later than 15 days after the claim is referred.
If you are applying for asylum within Canada, you must submit a complete application with all supporting documentation online at the IRCC Portal. This includes the BOC form alongside supporting documents such as evidence of human rights conditions in your home country. Lawyers from legal aid clinics can assist you in completing the application package if you sign an authorization declaration. If the claim is eligible, it will be referred to the RPD for a decision. Upon referral to the RPD, you will receive a Refugee Protection Claimant Document, to assist with access to services like the Federal Health Program, as well as a Confirmation of Referral letter with further details on the refugee claims process.
- Resettlement as a refugee: UNHCR, a designated referral organisation, or private sponsorship groups can each refer refugees to Canada if they fall into one of two categories:
- Convention refugee abroad class: if you are outside your home country and cannot return due to a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, political opinion, nationality, or membership of a particular social group.
- Country of asylum class: if you are outside your home country, or the country where you normally live, and you have been either seriously affected by civil war or armed conflict, or denied basic human rights on an ongoing basis.
- To apply, you need to complete the application package, pass a medical exam and a security and criminal check.
- You will not be eligible for resettlement if you have another stable option for protection such as an offer to resettle in another country; you become a citizen of another country which can offer protection; you return to the country you left; or the reasons you left your home country no longer exist.
Legal aid organisations
Address: 425 de Maisonneuve Boulevard West, suite 400, Montreal, QC H3A 3G5
Tel: 514-864-2111, extension 6050
Working hours: 8:30 AM – 6:30 PM, Monday to Friday
Aide Juridique provides a range of services including refugee status issues. They can be reached by phone or in person through appointment. Their lawyers can also be reached 24/7 at 514-842-2244 in case of persons detained by immigration authorities.
Website
Address: #200, 138 4th Avenue SE
Calgary, Alberta T2G 4Z6
Tel: 403-263-4414
Email: settlement@ciwa-online.com
Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association is a non-profit organization that provides support specifically to immigrant and refugee women, girls and their families. 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.
Address: 230 – 675 Queen St. S., Kitchener, Ontario, N2M 1A1
Tel: 519-571-1912
Email: compass@compassrefugee.ca
The COMPASS Refugee Centre, formerly the Mennonite Coalition for Refugee Support (MCRS), 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. COMPASS Refugee Centre provides refugee claim process support and settlement support in addition to advocating for fairness and justice for refugees in Canada. COMPASS Refugee Centre provides numerous services including emotional support, assistance with document completion, translation, and interpretation, help finding legal support, referrals to suitable housing and community resources, and advice.
Address: Telus House, South Tower Second floor 10020 – 100 Street Edmonton, AB T5J 0N3
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: 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: 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
Address: 425 de Maisonneuve Boulevard West, suite 400, Montreal, QC H3A 3G5
Tel: 514-864-2111, extension 6050
Working hours: 8:30 AM – 6:30 PM, Monday to Friday
Aide Juridique provides a range of services including refugee status issues. They can be reached by phone or in person through appointment. Their lawyers can also be reached 24/7 at 514-842-2244 in case of persons detained by immigration authorities.
Tel: 1-866-845-3425
Legal Aid Alberta provides a range of services for refugee matters including in relation to detention reviews, admissibility hearings, or the removal appeal. They can be reached either over phone or in person at the above addresses.
Legal Aid Alberta also has a lawyer directory which allows you to pick a legal aid lawyer based on area of law and language spoken.
Address: There are 31 communities within BC where you can access Legal Aid
Call Center: 604-408-2172 (Greater Vancouver) or 1-866-577-2525 (elsewhere in BC)
Opening hours: 9:00-16:00 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and 9:00-14:30 Wednesday
Email: info@legalaid.bc.ca
Legal Aid BC provides representation, advice, and information on a range of issues including immigration and refugee matters, with a focus on people with low incomes. They provide information in person or over the phone and have numerous locations throughout the province. They also provide online resources such as information on the process for refugee claims, hearings, and sponsorship.
Address: 100 – 287 Broadway, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 0R9
Tel: 1-800-261-2960 Or 204-985-8500
Email: info@legalaid.mb.ca
Legal Aid Manitoba provides a range of legal services to eligible applicants trying to remain in Canada as a refugee or immigrant, including as to status determination, deportation and removal orders. Applicants can apply over the phone and will receive a decision in one to two weeks.
Address: Suite 200, 251 Empire Avenue, St. John’s, NL, A1C 3H9
Tel: (709) 753-7863
Email: SJintake@legalaid.nl.ca
Legal Aid NL provides free legal services to people in financial need including as to immigration and refugee services. Specifically, Legal Aid NL offers advice, assistance, and representation in immigration and refugee proceedings before the Immigration and IRB, the Federal Court, or with Citizenship and Immigration Canada. They can be reached by phone or in person.
Address: Toronto: 20 Dundas St West Suite 202, Toronto M5G 2H1; Ottawa: 85 Albert Street Suite 200, Ottawa ON K1P 6A4; Hamilton: 110 King Street West Suite 780, Hamilton, On L8P 4S6
Tel: 1‑800‑668‑8258
8:00 – 17:00, Monday to Friday
Legal Aid Ontario provides assistance with refugee queries including the BOC form, completing an application to stay in Canada on Humanitarian and Compassionate grounds, and advice if the government wants to revoke refugee status. They can be reached by phone or in person. Legal Aid Ontario also funds community legal clinics which operate independently and provide services to local communities including as to refugee law issues.
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: 416-985-7456
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: 1435 City Councillors St., Montreal, QC, H3A 2E4
Tel: (514) 844-9128 extension 101
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 OBA does not, however, provide legal representation or services for asylum seekers directly.
The 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.
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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.
Address: 1266 Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M6K 1L3
Tel: (001) 41 65 31 24 11
Fax: (001) 41 65 31 08 85
Email: intake@pcls.clcj.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, Treaty 4 | Regina, SK S4P 0R7
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
Email: admin@probonostudents.ca
PBSC has chapters in every law school in Canada, and provides legal support 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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Address: 1033 Davie Street Unit 620, Vancouver, BC V6E 1M5
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
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.
The organisation works in collaboration with government agencies, community organisations, and other stakeholders to provide various forms of support to refugees. It also monitors immigration holding facilities across Canada to ensure detainees are treated humanely and that their human rights and dignity are respected. The First Contact program provides refugee claimants arriving in Canada with the tools to help prevent marginalization, distress and exploitation.
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Address: PO Box 83045 Ottawa RPO Bank Walkley, Ontario, K1V 1A3
Tel: 613-663-8198
Email: info@centreforinquiry.ca
Services Provided by the Organisation:
The organisation supports individuals facing persecution or threats due to opinions considered “blasphemous” or contrary to dominant religious beliefs. It provides legal assistance and offers community and psychological support to those affected.
Comprehensive legal guidance is offered in areas such as refugee status determination (RSD), assisting refugees in understanding their rights and navigating the legal procedures associated with asylum applications. Other legal matters are also covered, equipping individuals with the necessary knowledge to address their legal challenges effectively.
The organisation actively promotes humanistic and secular values, striving to influence policies and reform laws, particularly those restricting freedom of expression, such as blasphemy laws.
CFI Canada advocates for education rooted in science and critical thinking. It hosts programmes and educational events aimed at raising awareness about the importance of secularism and human rights.
The organisation organises seminars and educational events, such as “Protecting Blasphemers 2024,” to highlight issues surrounding freedom of expression and promote constructive dialogue.
The organisation seeks to build strong communities of individuals who share its values and provides platforms to support those facing challenges and help them overcome obstacles.
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Email: info@chinhumanrights.org
The Chin Human Rights Organisation (CHRO) is a non-governmental, non-profit advocacy organisation. 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; human rights education to the people of China in Burma (see website for further information).
In terms of refugee work, CHRO provides 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 organisations.
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Address: 208 Oakwood Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M6E 2V4
Tel: 416-469-9754
WhatsApp: 437-217-3786
Fax: 416-469-2670
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.
Address: 95 Ellen Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3A 1S8
Tel: 204-943-8765
Fax: 204-943-4810
Email: info@ircom.ca
The Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba (IRCOM) is a non-profit organisation that operates a five-storey transitional housing complex in Winnipeg called IRCOM House. IRCOM House offers secure, affordable and clean two and three-bedroom apartments to newcomers for up to three years after their arrival. In addition, IRCOM provides onsite support 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.
Address: 116 Albert St #801, Ottawa, ON K1P 5G3, 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 organisations and institutions to analyse migration legislation and assistance in 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. 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
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.
Kinbrace has published a guide to making refugee claims in Canada. It helps refugee claimants and service providers navigate the refugee determination system including in preparation of relevant hearings and in the event of detention. The Guide is available in English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Mongolian, Somali, Urdu, Farsi, Tigrigna and Sorani Kurdish.
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Address: 959 Wellington Street West, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 2X5
Tel: 61 37 25 02 02
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 (downtown and Mississauga); 416-750-3045 (Scarborough)
Fax: 416-363-2122 (downtown); 416-750-4990 (Scarborough)
Opening Hours: 9:00AM-5:00PM
Email: info@ccvt.org
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 counselling 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.
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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 August 2025
