Can Refugee Claimants Get Legal Aid in Canada?

Many refugee claimants in Canada cannot afford a lawyer or immigration consultant. Legal aid provides publicly funded representation in some provinces. This resource explains where legal aid is available for refugee cases, how to apply, and what it covers.

This resource explains the legal aid system in Canada as it applies to refugee claimants — including which provinces provide legal aid for refugee cases, how to apply, what legal aid covers (and what it does not), and what options exist for claimants in provinces with limited or no legal aid for refugee matters. It also covers non-profit and community legal clinics that serve Afghan and refugee communities.

A refugee hearing is a formal legal proceeding. Claimants who appear without representation are statistically less likely to succeed than those with professional representation. Yet many refugee claimants — including Afghans — arrive in Canada with no resources and no knowledge of the legal system. Understanding the legal aid system — including its significant limitations — helps claimants access the representation they are entitled to and avoid situations where they make critical decisions without professional guidance.