Refugee's First Year | Micah House Hamilton Ontario

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Learn about Refugees

First Year

Refugee's First Year

The first month after claiming refugee status is a very busy time. There are many required appointments in order to complete the claim process and to get settled in Canada.

The major appointments in the first month are Ontario Works to obtain assistance until a work permit is granted, lawyer appointments to finish the refugee claim, and a medical appointment which is required to obtain a work permit. A bank account should also be opened and requesting for assistance to pay the lawyer through Legal Aid is also recommended.

Below is an image of the common timeline for a refugee claimant who stays at Micah House.

Click for larger image

There is a great deal of change being introduced in December 2011 that will significantly alter these timelines. Stay tuned as we learn of the impact of this legislation - what it means to refugee claimants and what is means for Micah House.

Myths About Refugees

MYTH: Canada respects the rights of all refugees and immigrants living in Canada.

Canadians are rightly proud of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms and our human rights commitments, but our record is not spotless. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has repeatedly criticized Canada for its slowness in reuniting refugee families.

MYTH: Canada has more difficulty intergrating newcomers today than a century ago. Immigrants are now more diverse.

Fears about immigrant integration are not new. Generation after generation, people have worried about whether the most recent immigrants will integrate as well as previous immigrants.

MYTH: Refugee claimants pose threats to Canada's security.

Refugee claimants are not threats to security – they are seeking security and protection from threats to their own lives.

MYTH: Canada does more than its share to assist refugees and asylum seekers when compared to other countries.

On the contrary, international law recognizes that refugees often have no choice but to enter a country of asylum illegally.

MYTH: Real refugees are those who wait in refugee camps overseas. Those who make a claim in Canada jump the line and are not as deserving.

Refugees are people who have been forced from their homes by human rights abuses. All refugees have a right to protection, wherever they are.