Newcomer guides
Legal help and staying safe
Where to get free legal advice, the refugee claim deadlines you must not miss, how to choose a real representative, and the scams that target newcomers.
Checked October 2026 · Ontario
Free legal help
Legal Aid Ontario
Free lawyers for refugee claims and other serious legal problems if you have a low income. Call them as soon as you make your claim.
Legal clinics
Community legal clinics
Free help with housing, work, social assistance and immigration. Legal Aid Ontario can tell you which clinic serves your area.
Steps to Justice
Answers in plain language
Step-by-step guides to common legal problems in Ontario, from CLEO. stepstojustice.ca
Refugee centres
Refugee support centres
Groups like the FCJ Refugee Centre help claimants with forms, hearings and housing. We can refer you.
Refugee claimants
Deadlines and rules you must not miss
Basis of Claim form: 15 days
If you claimed at the border or airport, your Basis of Claim form is usually due within 15 days. Get a lawyer's help right away.
Keep your address up to date
Tell both the Immigration and Refugee Board and IRCC every time you move or change your phone number. Missing a letter can end your claim.
Go to every appointment
Missing a hearing or interview without a very good reason can mean your claim is treated as abandoned.
Collect evidence
Keep copies of documents, photos, medical reports and messages that support your story. Your lawyer will tell you what to translate.
Interpreters are free
The Board provides an interpreter at your hearing. Tell them your language and dialect early.
If your claim is refused, act fast
Appeal deadlines are short, often 15 days. Call your lawyer or Legal Aid Ontario the same day.
Choosing someone to help with immigration
Only these people can charge you money for immigration help:
- Lawyers licensed by a Canadian law society
- Paralegals licensed in Ontario (for some matters)
- Licensed immigration consultants listed with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants.
Warning signs
- They "guarantee" a visa, permit or a win
- They ask you to sign blank forms, or forms you don't understand
- They tell you to lie or leave things out; lying on an immigration form can ban you from Canada for 5 years
- They won't give a written contract or receipts
- They keep your passport or original documents.
Check their name on the official register before you pay. Friends, family and community groups like Sauti Yetu can help you for free.
Be careful
Scams that target newcomers
Fake government calls
Someone says they are from IRCC, CBSA, the CRA or police and you will be arrested or deported unless you pay. Real officials never ask for gift cards, crypto or wire transfers. Hang up.
Phishing texts and emails
"Your SIN is suspended" or "click to claim your refund". Do not click links. Go to the official website yourself.
Job and LMIA scams
Real employers do not charge you for a job offer, training or an LMIA.
"Friends" who want favours
Be careful of people who offer housing, work or travel and then control your documents, money or movements. This can be human trafficking.
Too good to be true
Quick loans, investment "opportunities" or prizes you never entered. If you feel rushed, stop and ask someone you trust.
Report fraud: Canada Anti-Fraud Centre 1-888-495-8501 · Human trafficking: 1-833-900-1010, 24/7, confidential.
Your rights in Canada
Everyone has Charter rights
Including refugee claimants. You have the right to fair treatment, to practise your religion, and to be free from discrimination.
If police stop you
Stay calm and be polite. If you are arrested, you have the right to remain silent, to know why, and to speak to a lawyer right away, for free.
Violence at home is a crime
Including from a spouse or family member. If you are a permanent resident, leaving an abusive partner does not cancel your status.
Trusted information
Sources
- Legal Aid Ontario
- Steps to Justice
- IRB refugee claims
- College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants
- Canada Anti-Fraud Centre
- Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline
General information, not legal advice. Talk to a lawyer about your case.