Can You Make A Refugee Claim In Canada From The U.S.?

U.S. citizens and foreign nationals living in the U.S. who want to make a claim for refugee protection in Canada face significant challenges.

A major challenge for U.S. citizens is the strict requirements refugee claimants must meet in order to make a claim for refugee protection. Canadian immigration law strictly defines who is eligible to claim refugee protection in Canada. A person can claim refugee protection if they are recognized as either a Convention Refugee or a Person in Need of Protection.

A Convention Refugee is someone who by reason of a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular group or political opinion is outside of their country of nationality or former habitual residence and is unable or unwilling due to this fear to avail themselves of protection from this country or return to that country.