What you need to know before claiming asylum in Canada
Claiming asylum is a rigorous process
It’s only for people who
- are forced to flee their country for their safety
- can pass our strict eligibility and security checks
- are in Canada or at our border
Claiming asylum is not an immigration shortcut
You can’t claim asylum because you want a stable job, a better quality of life or a better education for your children.
There are different ways you can come to Canada to live, work or study.
You can’t go through the United States to claim asylum in Canada
If you enter Canada from the United States (US), you are not eligible to claim asylum and will be returned to the US. The Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) says you must claim asylum in the first safe country you enter. This rule doesn’t apply to US citizens.
Claiming asylum doesn’t guarantee you can stay in Canada
Each asylum claim is reviewed by an immigration or border officer to make sure it’s eligible.
It’s your responsibility to make a claim within the required time limits and check the eligibility rules.
If your claim is eligible, you will need to go to a hearing and
- show proof of your persecution
- answer many questions about your situation
If Canada decides you don’t need protection or your claim is ineligible, you must leave the country.
You need evidence to support your claim for asylum
To claim asylum, you need to show
- that you are in Canada
- that you can’t return to your home country and
you are a convention refugee because you believe you will be persecuted based on your race, religion, political opinion, nationality or social group
you are a person in need of protection because you will face a danger of torture, risk to your life, and risk of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment
No one can guarantee your claim will be approved
You can have an authorized representative help you with your asylum claim. However, representatives may be committing fraud on your behalf if they
- guarantee approval or shorter processing time
- advise you to use false information or documents
- ask for a large payment upfront or insist on cash only
If you or your representative lie in your claim, this is fraud, and we can
- reject your claim
- ban you from returning to Canada