Canada offers refugee protection to some people in Canada who fear persecution or who would be in danger if they had to go back to their home country or the country where they normally live. Some dangers people may face include:
- torture
- risk to their life
- risk of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment
You can apply in person at the port of entry when you arrive in Canada or online when you’re already in Canada. For information about the application process, see the Government of Canada website.
To make a refugee claim, you must be in Canada and can’t be subject to a removal order (or otherwise be ineligible to make a refugee claim, for example under the Safe Third Country Agreement).
If your claim is eligible, it will be referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) for a decision on your refugee matter. See the IRB website for more information.