Our Recent Immigration Success Stories

Caribbean Woman Who Faced Lifetime of Domestic Abuse, Finds Refuge

Our office worked closely with an illiterate woman from the beginning of her refugee claim. We helped her tell her story on paper for the purposes of the Personal Information Form and also carefully prepared her for answering questions at the hearing. In consideration of her experiences, we were also able to secure designation as a Vulnerable Person, which allowed our counsel to lead the questioning at her refugee hearing. This type of accommodation is of great use for individuals who have survived trauma as it may make the refugee process less intimidating.

Our client was found to be a Convention Refugee and is now preparing to re-claim her life her in Canada.

Subjective Fear and Refugee Protection

Refugee claimants are expected to quickly flee from their country if they fear for their life. When they delay in leaving, or when they return to their country of origin, there is a presumption that they are not truly scared and so not at risk.

Recently, our office was able to obtain refugee protection for a young woman who had, on many occasions, returned to her home country. We helped prepare her for the hearing; there, she explained to the Board Member why she continued to risk her life. In the result, she was found to be a refugee.

American Permanent Resident Granted Refuge

An elderly woman who had already become a permanent resident of the United States, was granted refugee status in Canada. Her claim was against her country of origin, but because of her American residency she was to be excluded from protection as she already had a safe alternative country in which to live. Our office prepared substantial disclosure and submissions to address exclusion and, after a lengthy review of recent jurisprudence with the Board Member, our client was granted Canada’s protection.

Our client, who came to Canada to be with her daughter, will now be applying for permanent residence in Canada.

Bisexual Woman Gains Refugee Protection

A woman and her children sought refugee protection on the basis of the women’s sexual identity. With very little documentation to corroborate her identity, it was left to our office to prepare our client for the emotional and difficult testimony of establishing her sexual orientation. She was ultimately successful, with the Board Member finding her to be a genuine refugee claimant. She and her children will be permitted to remain in Canada without fear of return to her country of origin.