(III) Preparing Your Refugee Case
After completing and filing your PIF your case will be initiated by the Refugee Protection Division ("RPD"). The RPD may contact you if there are mistakes or missing information on your PIF. As a refugee claimant in Canada you are allowed to work or study. You may wish to consult a lawyer or a refugee assistance organization for help with your work or study permit applications.
- For information on filing a work permit application click here.
- For information on filing a study permit application click here.
- For information on applying for social assistance (welfare) click here. You can obtain the assistance of a refugee organization (LINK) if you require help with your welfare application.
- A medical examination is usually required for all refugee claimants in Canada. Once you receive instructions to complete medical examinations you can find a list of Designated Medical Practitioners here. As a refugee claimant in Canada, you will received medical coverage for the duration of your refugee claim. The program under which you will receive medical coverage is called Interim Federal Health program. For more information on this program you can visit the Interim Federal Health website.
Refugee claims in Canada can take between three to twelve months or longer to complete. Depending on the nature of your refugee claim, you should start preparation for your refugee claim as soon as possible:
- Seek private legal counsel or request a legal aid lawyer from Legal Services Society of BC.
- Obtain documents required in support of your case such as: police reports and records of attacks, medical and hospital records documenting injuries, death certificates and any other documents which support your claim.
- Newsreports, book articles and any other reports which document the risk or persecution you face in your country of nationality will be very usefull to your case. Links to some of the country condition documents available on the internet can be found on our Links Page.
- All obtained documents must be translated into English or French. If you qualify for legal aid, then translation of some of your documents will be covered by legal aid. Other documents may need to be translated using a private translation company such as Mosaic Translations.
- Your case may involve complex legal issues such as exclusion for having committed serious criminal offences abroad or in Canada. The RPD will send you a "Screening Form" a few weeks prior to your refugee hearing which will outline most of the legal issues that arise in your case. Once you receive the Screening Form you should review the issues outlined and contact legal counsel (if available).
The next step is for the RPD to write to you, or contact your legal counsel (if available), to schedule your refugee hearing. Please note that it may take between six months to two years for a refugee hearing to be scheduled. During this period of time it is important to inform the RPD informed of your current address (see our Links Page for the RPD "Change of Address "form).
- Once your hearing is scheduled you must submit the documents to be used in your case to the RPD at least 20 days prior to your hearing. The RPD requires you to submit the original set of documents and two (2) additional copies to the RPD with each page numbered and a numbered list of the documents.
- In addition to the documents above you must also submit a list of any Witnesses you intend to use at your RPD hearing. For each witness to be called the RPD requires you to provide: the name, relationship of witness to you, language of testimony and method of testimony: in person/by telephone.
- The RPD requires you to confirm that you are ready to proceed with your case by submitting the "Confirmation of Hearing" form provided with your confirmation of hearing letter within 20 days of receiving the letter.
The next stage in your refugee claim process is the Refugee Hearing.
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