How can a front-line worker help?
As a front-line worker, you may be able to help a woman who does not have permanent status in Canada by:
- letting her know when and where to get legal advice
- explaining some of the differences between an H&C application and a refugee claim
- helping her gather the evidence she needs to show that she should be allowed to stay in Canada
A woman without immigration status experiencing family violence may be able to get a Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) from IRCC.
The TRP allows a woman to live in Canada for at least 6 months while she decides what to do next.
A woman can apply for a work permit at the same time as she applies for the TRP and she will not have to pay a fee for either permit.
She can apply for the TRP before, after, or at the same time as she makes an H&C application.
A woman who speaks French has the right to communicate in French with immigration authorities. If she is making an application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, she has the right to apply in French. If she is making a refugee claim, she has the right to make her claim in French. This includes the right to have her hearing at the Immigration and Refugee Board in French. To find out more about her French language rights, she should contact a lawyer or a community legal clinic.