​​What is a refugee? The definition of a refugee has its origins in the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees. A person is declared a refugee because they have a well-founded fear or are persecuted, and cannot be protected within their country or return to that country.

That person must fear persecution, based on one of these reasons: 

Race, religion, nationality, political opinion, membership in a particular social group.

Examples of reasons for persecution:

Race: It includes belonging to an ethnic group, and/or any specific social group of common ancestry or origin that constitutes a minority.

Religion: It occurs when you are a member of a community that practices a certain religious belief(s), and the government where you live prohibits you from practicing said beliefs and you are even subject to death threats, torture and persecution, such as being Christian in a Muslim country.

Political Opinion: You are subject to persecution for political opinion, when you openly oppose the government or political party in power in your country, and for this reason you receive threats of death or harm to your physical integrity.

Membership in a particular group:

Human rights activists.

Members of the LGBTQ+ community in any country around the world.

Labor or union activists (workers right advocaters).

People who suffer domestic or sexual violence by their government, military groups, etc.

Nationality: Those who have been subjected to genocide, torture, and sexual violations because they belong to a certain nation or because they are stateless.

If you believe that you meet some of the reasons for persecution, (you could) be considered a refugee, this is a process that the Canadian government instructs, through a determination process.

How does Canada protect you?

Canadian immigration law offers 2 alternatives for people at risk:

Convention Refugee

Protected person those at risk of suffering torture, punishment and cruel and degrading treatment. ​

​​​​​What is the process like?

First, you need to make an appointment with our Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant, Mr. Alejandro González, to get advice how you can show up before the Canadian authorities, to claim a refugee application.

Once the Canadian authorities hear your allegations, they decide if you are eligible to begin the determination process.