This BC Refugee Hub Training Webinar, delivered on August 25, 2020, covers the refugee claim process, legal requirements for a refugee claim and legal updates due to COVID-19. The target audience for this webinar includes: settlement workers and settlement organization staff, community support workers, and stakeholders working with and supporting refugees and claimants.

The BC Refugee Hub would like to gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development and Competitiveness. 

Webinar Speakers:

Katya Quintanilla – Settlement Worker, Settlement Orientation Services (SOS), ISSofBC – Katya is one of the Spanish speaking settlement workers for refugee claimants at SOS – ISSofBC. She has been working with the SOS program since May of 2018, and has helped over 1,000 claimant clients during that time. She previously worked with the Umbrella Mobile Clinic, providing medical services to Spanish-speaking migrant agricultural workers in the Lower Mainland. She graduated from SFU with an MA in Latin American studies in 2017.

Lobat Sadrehashemi – Clinic Lead / Senior Counsel, Immigration and Refugee Legal Clinic – Lobat has focused her legal career on refugee and immigration law. She has argued at all levels of court, including the Supreme Court of Canada. Lobat is the past President of the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers. She has testified several times before the House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration. Lobat earned her law degree and masters in social work from the University of Toronto.

Topic Areas Covered:

• Making a refugee claim
• Applying for a PR when the claim has been accepted
• Accessing legal aid and other services/resources available to refugee claimants during the claim process
• Legal requirements of making a refugee claim
• Legal updates related to refugee claimants due to COVID-19
• Legal aspects of making an appeal to a negative decision from IRB
• Introduction to the Immigration and Refugee Legal Clinic

Webinar Resources:

1. Presentation #1 – Katya Quintanilla: The claim process and updates due to Covid-19, applying for PR and resources for refugee claimants.

Video >>
Powerpoint deck >>

2. Presentation #2 – Lobat Sadrehashemi: Legal aspects of the refugee claim, updates since Covid-19, introduction to the Immigration and Refugee Legal Clinic

Video >>
Powerpoint deck >>

3. Resources shared during the webinar by speakers & in chatbox by attendees:

• SOS – ISSofBC Website / New Surrey Location: ISSofBC Welcome Centre – Surrey – 301- 10334 152A St, Surrey, BC V3R 7P8
  • SOS Text Messaging Service – Sign-up >>
  • SOS Videos – Refugee Claim Applications / Refugee Claim Process
  • SOS Resources – IRCC Applications – Documents and Definitions 
• Legal Aid BC  / Contact to make an appointment: 1-866-577-2525 / 604-408-2172 (Greater Vancouver)
• Emailing IRCC refugee claims – send email to [email protected]  More information on the process provided here >>
• READY TOURS & Ready for my Refugee Claim / [email protected] / 604-328-3132 or 604-255-9691
• VANCITY – Permanent Residency Application Loan – Contact SOS for more info
• MOSAIC English Language Conversation Circles (online): MOSAIC offers free 1:1 virtual english classes for refugee claimants with a skilled former LINC instructor. More information / register by emailing [email protected]
• Windmill Microlending – Windmill provides low interest loans for immigrants, interest free for refugees, for education, qualifying exams, support to go back to school to obtain credentials. More information here>> 
• Archway Community Services (ACS) – Located in the Fraser Valley, offers online English classes for refugee claimants with a LINC instructor – For more information and referrals contact: [email protected] 
• Options Community Services: Provides supports for refugee claimants via the BCSIS program – Contact 604.954.0484 (employment services) and 604.954.0611 (settlement services)
• MPNH provides Employment and English classes for Refugee Claimants – contact and information here>>
• Safe Third Country Agreement – The agreement remains in effect. The Government of Canada is reviewing the Federal Court decision released on July 22, 2020. The Court suspended its declaration of the unconstitutionality of the Regulations enacting the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) for a period of 6 months, during which the STCA continues to remain in effect. Individuals entering Canada at a land port of entry continue to be ineligible to make a refugee claim, and will be returned to the U.S. unless they meet one of the relevant exceptions under the STCA. For information and updates here>>
• Pathway to permanent residency recognizes exceptional service of asylum claimants on front lines of COVID-19 pandemic – news release (August 14, 2020). No new information has been released. Read complete press release>>
• Biometrics collection in Canada – Update provided by Government of Canada – here>>
• Immigration and Refugee Legal Clinic – Opened in early 2020, learn more about services offered here>>

The BC Refugee Hub is funded by the Province of British Columbia and administered by The Immigrant Services Society of BC (ISSofBC)

The BC Refugee Hub would like to gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development and Competitiveness.