Upon arriving in Canada at the airport or at the border, you can inform the officer that you wish to make a claim for refugee protection. Alternatively, after entering Canada, you may inform an immigration office within Canada that you wish to make a claim for refugee protection.

If accepted upon entry, you must submit the Basis of Claim by the specified deadline. If claiming refugee protection within Canada, you must submit the Basis of Claim when applying for protection. (Since the Basis of Claim forms the foundation for the refugee claim assessment, it is crucial to be honest, truthful, and ensure that the information provided is consistent, as this will impact the credibility of your case.) If it is determined that you meet the conditions for refugee protection, a hearing will be scheduled. If it is determined that you do not meet the conditions, a deportation order or other order will be issued. In such cases, you must comply with the government’s instructions.

An examination will be initiated by the Refugee Protection Division, and you must attend the hearings.

If your refugee claim is approved, you will be granted Protected Person status and can apply for permanent residence. If the claim is refused, a deportation order will be issued. If the claim is refused, you may appeal to the Refugee Appeal Division (RAD), but only cases that meet specific conditions are eligible for appeal to the RAD. If an appeal to the RAD is not possible, you may appeal to the Federal Court.

Claiming refugee protection should be done carefully, for the following reasons:

• You can only apply once in your lifetime.
• If your refugee claim is refused, you will not be eligible to apply for permanent residence under most economic immigration categories.
• If your refugee claim is refused, depending on the type of deportation order, you will need to submit a separate application for approval each time you wish to travel to Canada in the future, and your application must be approved.

If you are detained by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) at an airport, border, or within Canada, the Immigration Division will conduct a detention review hearing to determine whether you meet the criteria for entry and stay in Canada and whether there is a continued need for your detention in the detention centre.

If you are not approved to enter and stay in Canada, a removal order will be issued and you will be deported to your home country. At the time of deportation, depending on the type of removal order, you will need to submit a separate application to seek approval to travel to Canada in the future each time, and your application must be approved. Continued detention may be ordered in certain situations, such as when the destination country cannot be determined due to a lack of identification, if there is a risk of fleeing upon release, or if there is a potential danger to the public. In the case of permanent residents, depending on the circumstances, an appeal can be made to the Immigration Appeal Division (and if that appeal is denied, further appeal to the Federal Court is possible). For temporary residents or foreign nationals, access to the Immigration Appeal Division is unavailable, so an appeal can be filed directly with the Federal Court.

Submit a Notice of Appeal. If the conditions are met, the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) will schedule a hearing. If the conditions are not met, an appeal can be filed with the Federal Court.

Attend the hearing, where IAD members will review your appeal.

If the appeal is granted, in the case of a Family Class application, your application will be re-assessed by a different immigration officer. For permanent residents who have lost their status due to failure to meet residency obligations or those facing a removal order, permanent resident status will be retained. If the appeal is dismissed, an appeal can be filed with the Federal Court.