Initial refugee claims at the Refugee Protection Division, appeals at the Refugee Appeal Division, and the alternatives — Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA) and humanitarian & compassionate (H&C) applications — when the refugee route is closed.
Refugee protection in Canada is decided by the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB). Initial claims go to the Refugee Protection Division (RPD). If the RPD refuses, most claimants have a right of appeal to the Refugee Appeal Division (RAD). If RAD also refuses, the next stop is the Federal Court for judicial review.
Outside that core path, there are two important alternatives we handle when refugee protection isn't available or has been exhausted — Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA) and humanitarian & compassionate (H&C) applications. Every file is handled directly by Jugraj — a paralegal licensed by the Law Society of Ontario, authorised to represent at the IRB.
Two divisions of the IRB, plus PRRA and H&C as fallbacks. Deadlines are short — the 15-day BOC clock starts the moment your claim is referred, and the 15-day appeal deadline is just as strict.
Initial refugee claim from filing to hearing.
Appeal of an RPD refusal — and what comes next.
The four-step backbone. Timelines compress at the deadlines — the 15-day BOC and 15-day appeal deadlines are non-negotiable.
We confirm you're eligible to make a claim (no safe-third-country bar, no prior refusal, no other exclusion), file the initial claim, and receive the IRB referral that starts the BOC clock.
Within 15 days of referral, we file a complete BOC narrative. We prepare country conditions evidence, corroborating documents, witness statements, and medical/psychological reports where relevant.
Pre-hearing conference where applicable, interpreter arrangements, full RPD hearing representation. Most hearings run a few hours and cover credibility, well-foundedness, internal flight alternative, and protection.
Acceptance: protected person status, file for PR. Refusal: file the RAD appeal within 15 days, then Federal Court judicial review if RAD also refuses. Where refugee paths are exhausted, we move to PRRA or H&C.
Refugee files turn on credibility and well-foundedness. The stronger the documentary corroboration, the better — but a credible, consistent narrative is the foundation of every successful claim.
One of the few areas of Canadian immigration with no government filing fees at the initial stage — IRB refugee claims and RAD appeals do not require an IRCC fee. PRRA and H&C as alternatives do carry fees.
Many refugee claimants qualify for legal aid through Legal Aid Ontario. Country conditions reports, medical assessments, and expert reports are billed separately by their providers.
View the current IRCC fee schedule ↗Tell us where you are in the process — pre-referral, BOC pending, hearing scheduled, or already refused. We'll respond within one business day with the next steps and the relevant deadline.