A refugee claimant must prove a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, membership in a particular social group; and of cruel and unusual treatment if returned home.

Photo from Landed: Six New Lives in Canada

CONVENTION REFUGEE:

Refugee claimants are people who enter Canada, whether by boat, airplane or on foot, and declare themselves to be refugees. They must make their claims to the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) in order to stay in Canada. These people are able to apply for welfare or seek work but are not considered permanent residents.

A permanent resident can:

• become a Canadian citizen after living in Canada for three years

• live, work, own a business, purchase and sell properties anywhere in Canada

• visit most of the countries of the world without any visa requirement

• receive free medical care and schooling, and other benefits such as children's allowance etc.

Claimants must apply to become "Convention Refugees" in order to become a permanent resident of Canada. This term was defined in the United Nations 1951 Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.

A refugee is someone:

who has a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group. In Canada, new immigration rules approved in June 2002 state that a refugee is also someone who, if returned home, faces: a risk of torture as defined in the Convention Against Torture, cruel and unusual treatment/punishment or a risk to his/her life.

Refugee Protection in Canada (external link)

NEXT: APPLICATION »

Refugees accounted for 27,894 out of 250,346 immigrants in 2001

11,891 were claimants

60 per cent of deportations involve refugee claimants

One out of four immigrants to Quebec City, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Saskatoon is a refugee

48 per cent of immigrants are between the ages of 25 and 44

SOURCES: 1996 Census Facts and Figures 2001: Immigration Overview

Profile of Immigration and Refugee Lawyer Ed Corrigan