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# Refugee Protection Division
The Refugee Protection Division is a branch of the Immigration and Refugee Board. Canada protects refugees and will not send them back to persecution. Individuals who get to Canada on their own can claim refugee protection at any Canadian border or inside Canada.
Do you want to know your eligibility to obtain refugee status in Canada?
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Refugee Protection Division
[ Start Your Online Assessment ](https://www.myvisasource.com/free-assessment)
Or Call Us: [1-(888)-509-1987](tel:1-888-509-1987)
The Refugee Protection Division is a branch of the Immigration and Refugee Board. Canada protects refugees and will not send them back to persecution. Individuals who get to Canada on their own can claim refugee protection at any Canadian border or inside Canada.
Do you want to know your eligibility to obtain refugee status in Canada?
Call us toll-free or take less than a minute to fill our Online Assessment for Your Visa Options.
The right to life, liberty and security of the person is enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
To be granted asylum in Canada as a refugee, a person must be outside his or her home country and have a well-founded fear of persecution. According to the Geneva Convention, the fear must not only be well-founded, the persecution must also be based on reasons of race, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion. However, a less restrictive interpretation of the feared persecution may also lead to refugee status.
For example, Canada recognizes that women can be persecuted because of their gender and that the definition of a refugee should be interpreted to also include this form of persecution. A variety of circumstances can make a person a refugee.
Bringing refugees to Canada from outside the country is known as resettlement. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC, formerly CIC) resettles individuals and families based on referrals from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), other referral organizations, and private sponsorship groups.
Note: The government of Canada affords LGBTQ2 individuals and couples the same rights and opportunities as other persons when it comes to immigration issues.
## **Refugee Claim Process**
Canada has obliged itself to protect genuine refugees, that is, not to send them back to persecution. People who get to Canada on their own can claim refugee protection at any border point, or inside Canada, at a Canadian Immigration Visa Office.
Refugee claims are complex and there is always a lot at stake. It is always advisable for people seeking refugee protection to be represented by a competent Canadian attorney with expertise in this particular area of the law.
Refugee Status application processing times vary from one Canadian Immigration Visa office to another:
- Government sponsored refugees
- Privately sponsored refugees
- Dependants of refugees
Individuals who have a refugee claim rejected, abandoned or withdrawn may eventually apply for a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA). This is an opportunity for people who are facing removal from Canada to seek protection by describing, in writing, the risks they believe they would face if removed.
## [**Do I qualify for Canadian Refugee Status?**](https://www.canadavisa.com/refugee-status-faq.html#collapse-qa-43836)
A refugee is a person who fears persecution if they go back to their country of nationality. Fear of persecution usually means a serious chance of physical harm or detention or some other form of cruel and unusual punishment. In some cases discrimination or harassment could be considered serious enough to amount to persecution.
## [**Must I have already experienced persecution?**](https://www.canadavisa.com/refugee-status-faq.html#collapse-qa-43837)
No. The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship standard is whether or not there is a serious possibility that you would be persecuted if you go back to your country.
## [**How do I know if my refugee claim will be accepted?**](https://www.canadavisa.com/refugee-status-faq.html#collapse-qa-43840)
There is no guaranteed way to know if you will be accepted since a single decision maker of Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board will hear your testimony and must decide if your claim is credible. That is why it is essential to provide documentary proof of your story and to be well prepared for your hearing, and to hire a lawyer who is an expert in refugee law. Since June 28, 2002, the government of Canada accepts refugees who fear cruel and unusual punishment, a risk to their life, or torture.
However, your claim will not be accepted if your fear is one of generalized violence faced by everyone in the country, if it is based on a need for medical treatment, or if you can obtain protection from the authorities in any part of your country. Furthermore, if the Refugee Board believes that you are a member of a terrorist group, have participated in human rights violations or have committed serious non-political crimes, you can be excluded from refugee protection.
If you are a citizen in more than one country, you must explain why you cannot obtain protection in all your countries of citizenship. If you can automatically obtain protection in another country then you could be denied protection in Canada.
## [**What can I do if I am refused?**](https://www.canadavisa.com/refugee-status-faq.html#collapse-qa-43842)
You would have the right to remain in Canada while you apply for an appeal and make submissions for a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment. You may also make an application for permanent residence in Canada based upon humanitarian and compassionate grounds.
## [**Do I have the right to work in Canada while my refugee claim is processed?**](https://www.canadavisa.com/refugee-status-faq.html#collapse-qa-43843)
Yes, almost from the beginning of the refugee process.
## [**Can my children go to school while my refugee claim is processed?**](https://www.canadavisa.com/refugee-status-faq.html#collapse-qa-43844)
Yes. Children of refugee claimants can attend public elementary and high schools free of charge.
## [Can I (and my family in Canada) receive medical treatment while my refugee claim is processed?](https://www.canadavisa.com/refugee-status-faq.html#collapse-qa-43845)
The federal government of Canada guarantees emergency medical treatment at no charge for those who cannot afford to buy their own medical insurance. Some medical clinics also offer free check ups to refugee claimants.
## [**Is it true that Canada has closed its borders to refugees coming from the U.S.A.?**](https://www.canadavisa.com/refugee-status-faq.html#collapse-qa-43846)
As of December 2004, refugees entering Canada by land from the United States are no longer allowed to make their refugee claims at the Canadian Port of Entry. However, this does not apply to refugees who make their refugee claim from inside of Canada, regardless of how they arrived. It does not apply to people arriving at Canadian airports even if they first passed through the U.S. Even in claims made at the U.S. - Canada border, exceptions apply for children under 18, and for refugees who have extended family members in Canada including parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, uncles and aunts.
## [**Can I apply for refugee protection from outside Canada?**](https://www.canadavisa.com/refugee-status-faq.html#collapse-qa-43847)
Yes, if you are outside your country, but this is very difficult in most cases. You must first apply to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). You usually have to show that you will be economically successful in Canada. Also, the refugee definition is more restrictive, you do not have the right to a lawyer at your interview, and the waiting period could be many years. You must also show that you cannot be settled in your country of present residence.
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Country Of Residence: Afghanistan Aland Islands Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Cote D'Ivoire Croatia Cuba Curacao Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and Mcdonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Macedonia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Reunion Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Barthelemy Saint Helena Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States United States Minor Outlying Islands Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.s. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe
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Country Interested In: Canada United States
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Immigration Matter: Express Entry Permanent Residency Permanent Residency (Green Card) Family Sponsorship Work Visa Visitor Visa Study Visa Business/Investor Visa Citizensip Visa Business Plans I've Overstayed My Visa I've Been Denied Entry or Deported Other Not Sure
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Submit
Or Call Us: [1-(888)-509-1987](tel:1-888-509-1987)
## Refugee Protection Division FAQs
### [**What are typical examples of refugee cases that are accepted?**](https://www.canadavisa.com/refugee-status-faq.html#collapse-qa-43838)
Some typical examples of refugee cases include:
- Members of minority religious groups or ethnic minorities who fear persecution from the general population or non-governmental organizations where the police are unable or unwilling to protect them.
- Members of an opposition political party who fear retribution because of their political opinion or their refusal to support the government.
- People who are persecuted by a powerful criminal gang or mafia such as drug traffickers.
- Homosexuals who are persecuted simply because of their sexual orientation.
- Women who fear beatings from their husbands, violence or other serious forms of punishment from other family members.
- Women who refuse to conform to expectations such as arranged marriages, dress code and genital mutilation. In fact Canada is a world leader in recognizing gender-based persecution and has issued guidelines to ensure that these claims are dealt with in a fair and sensitive manner.
In all the above cases refugees must explain what persecution they fear and why they cannot receive protection from their government.
---
### [**Can my family members be protected with me?**](https://www.canadavisa.com/refugee-status-faq.html#collapse-qa-43839)
Yes, in most cases Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC, formerly CIC) respects the principle of family unity. Therefore, a family will typically have one hearing and one decision.
---
### [**How long do I have to wait until I have a decision?**](https://www.canadavisa.com/refugee-status-faq.html#collapse-qa-43841)
Processing times vary significantly depending on the applicant's country of origin. Typically, they are between 10 and 20 months for government sponsored refugees and closer to 45 months for privately sponsored refugees.
---
## **Why Start with My Visa Source with a Free Online Assessment?**
Congratulations on taking your first step towards Temporary Residence in Canada!
**My Visa Source's **immigration lawyers dedicate themselves to your immigration case, providing legal representation tailored to your personal situation.
Our expertise focuses on immigration and visa programs for Canada and the United States, including global immigration.
Partnering with an award-winning immigration team greatly increases the likelihood of achieving your specific immigration or visa goals.
Immigration is a complex process that requires strong legal strategy, precise paperwork, and perfect attention to detail and experience dealing with immigration officials and government departments, reducing the risk of wasted time, money or permanent rejection.
## **Begin Your Application for Temporary Residence Today!**
Securing personalized legal help is quick and simple. Begin with our one-minute [**online assessment form**](https://www.myvisasource.com/free-assessment) or **call us toll-free at 1-888-509-1987**.
We have a dedicated team of licensed professionals standing by, ready to answer your immigration and visa questions. We’ve been helping people from over 120 countries for over a decade and can help you too.
Book a personal consultation to speak with an award-winning immigration lawyer either in-person, over the telephone, or through a video conference.
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## See What Our Clients Are Experiencing
**My Visa Source** made the process of my partner’s PR a breeze. We did run into an issue in the beginning as my partner initially started his PR progress with the intent of going through his work to get his PR. There were some difficulties that ended up leading us into doing his **PR through common-law sponsorship**, which ended up being a blessing in disguise as we were appointed a new Lawyer & team.
Harley Jensen was very much on top of everything from quick replies to our emails and if we ran into any difficulties she would always set up a phone call to ease us through the process. There was another lovely lawyer by the name Natasha who was also helping us through some difficulties.
Overall My Visa Source made us feel confident and at ease during this very stressful process. We would like to thank the team for all their hard work. I would definitely recommend them.
5 out of 5 » Rating by: Emily N.
Sharing my experience with **MVS**. This firm has truly reliable and dependable professionals, no wonder it has won so many awards and accolades. After my initial spouse work permit rejection, I approached MVS and I was assured they’d handle my case sensitively. Bara was very calm and informative, he initiated my process. My wife’s permit case was assigned to Sharon and Marc. ‘Sharon’ is very knowledgeable and precise, she was always reachable and was prompt on her responses during the process. Her follow ups on every step was phenomenal. Such a gem! I blindly recommend her.
Marc on the other hand was the heart of the process, shout out to him as well..
All my stress was washed out as every actions performed by them was promising. I was optimistic and finally **received the permits, now I can reunite with my family in coming days.**
Couldn’t praise enough. Wish you best to unite and bring happiness to more families like ours.
I wish to personally meet you all one day to thank for what you’ve done. You’ve changed my life.
5 out of 5 » Rating by: Vinayak B.
I've had a very bad experience with an immigration lawyer at another firm in the past, and I was very scare to experience that again. I found **My Visa Source** online and decided to give them a try because of their great reviews, and I don't regret it for a second!. Amazing experience, they really treated me like a human being and were very upfront and organized with all information.
Angel Pavlou is really an angel, very sweet and helpful, she help us a lot on our first stage of the process with the firm. She is an amazing human being!
Because we were **applying through common-in-law sponsorship**, my team was Harley and Natasha, an amazing team! We worked for about 4-5 month on the file to make sure everything needed was there. And even though they usually respond within 2-3 business days, by the last portion before submission, our emails were responded by the minute, which we really appreciate as it helped to speed up the process significantly.
Even though our contract with the firm ended with the submission of our application, they left the door open for further questions we may have about what's coming next with our application, which is a big support for us, and we really appreciate (as now we have a long road ahead before a final answer from IRCC comes).
Thanks Team! :)
5 out of 5 » Rating by: Kate T.
At first I was a bit wary because we had some challenges with **our spousal sponsorship case** and all correspondence was done over the phone or email, but now that my husband has been approved, I can say with confidence I would hire **My Visa ****Source** again for any immigration needs. My husband was not even asked for an interview in the end. This firm works many different nationalities and passport holders and there experience is vast.
5 out of 5 » Rating by: Julia C.
After previously going to another immigration service it became glaringly obvious how great this service was. Angel was able to answer all my questions and share with me some options that I had not been told of by the other lawyer. I highly recommend this service.
5 out of 5 » Rating by: David Andrews B.
I absolutely love this firm. Very detailed and best help you can get. They do free consultation too which is great. Angel is amazing. Trevor is great.
Best team at **My Visa Source**. I was happy with how my application was handled.
5 out of 5 » Rating by: Josh A.
This was a free consult call. I received the call exactly at the time arranged. Irfhan was very helpful, honest and informative. Unfortunately there weren’t many options for my case and he made no false promises. His integrity was impeccable and even though there wasn’t much that could be done he did offer some great suggestions and advice.
5 out of 5 » Rating by: Robin S.
**My Visa Source Law MDP** is an excellent immigration law firm. They were very supportive and
professional. They answered our many questions with timely and useful feedback.
5 out of 5 » Rating by: W M.
Mr. Shubhrash has been consultant for my immigration procedure and he has been outstanding. made us feel welcome and answered all our questions. He is very knowledgeable and friendly.
5 out of 5 » Rating by: Dishani G.
I am pleased with the service provided by **My Visa Source**, and recommend My Visa Source for people who are confused about their immigration process and are looking for a helping hand.
5 out of 5 » Rating by: Zina B.
...
[  ](https://www.myvisasource.com/free-assessment) 
### Overall Planned Canadian Permanent Resident Admissions
2024 Target Admissions:
485,000
2025 Target Admissions:
500,000
2026 Target Admissions:
500,000
### Your Source For Everything Immigration
Trusted by thousands, we offer personalized legal services tailored to meet the unique requirements of your immigration goals.
Experience
15+ years
With over 15 years of experience, My Visa Source is dedicated to delivering customized solutions that cater to the diverse needs of our immigration clientele.
Countries Serviced
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We have serviced clients from over 120 countries, both in person and virtually from our offices in North America.
Individuals and Businesses Helped
50,000+
We have helped over 50k businesses and individuals navigate immigration law and policy.
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- [H1-B - Speciality Occupations](https://www.myvisasource.com/usa-immigration/us-work-visas/h-1b/)
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