Discrimination is not enough to get asylum. You have to prove that you are being persecuted. How long have you spent in Argentina? Was that recently? You will need strong proof that your life was also at risk in Argentina which will be difficult to prove. Getting asylum from Argentina is very rare. I understand that you don’t want to move to Argentina but that’s not how the asylum system works. You have to have no safe place where you can legally live and you have the option of Argentina and Syria not just Syria.
Eligibility Interview Roxham road
- Thread starter fodiley
- Start date
Hello,
We are a family of 4. We are entering Canada through Roxham Border and will claim Asylum based on genuine fear of persecution.
We wish to move to Toronto. I understand that we may not be moved to a province of our choice. If we are allowed, I presume that we might have to stay in a temporary shelter for about 1-2 months before being moved to Toronto. Please shed some light on both options.
My main question: Can we move to Toronto on our own? If yes, I need help with below
1) Will we receive Social Assistance and Shelter in Toronto?
2) Will we able to move our case file to Toronto with ease (with or without lawyer), noting that we are not intending to utilize Legal Aid until we move to Toronto.
Your help will be high appreciated.
If you are moving to toronto, there's no need wasting time at quebec for 2 months. I made that mistake of waiting 3 weeks and it was just waste of time. They will ask you at the border, before moving you to their shelter if you'll be staying in quebec or not. That's when you tell them you'll be going toToronto. Just note that the officers in quebec will not be able to provide you any information in regards to settling in toronto. They will immediately tell you to leave with whatever documents they give you and that you are on your own. What I did was take a bus to toronto bus station and when I got there i called their ontario shelter number that i have no where to go and I was at the busstop (you can also call ontario red cross no). It's not easy cos you may stay at the bus stop for 12 hours before they find somewhere for you since shelter is full. What my friend did (which was smarter) was, she browsed good shelters in toronto (she did enough research before leaving quebec) and went there straight. They allowed her to stay there with her family till the ontario guys placed them in a different shelter. When you call ontario, they will immediately assign you to a case worker, who will start you on monthly pay for your family. The third option my other friend did with her family was going straight to ontario works office with the kids and luggage so they had no choice but to quickly move them to a hotel to stay for a while since they stood their ground they had no where to sleep. Just be ready quebec will not give you any information on how to survive in toronto; I guess cos they are angry that you're leaving lol. And it's difficult to find shelter in toronto but if you know how to go about it, they will find a place for you. Also If you call toronto for shelter in quebec, they won't answer you. They can only give you help if you're on their soil. Whatever shelter they find for you, you will be guided on how to find legal aids and start working on your case. Most times you get an earlier date for eligibility cos all the people I know got earlier date. Also Quebec will not pay your transport fare to toronto. The moment you say you're not staying in quebec, they hands off completely.
Honestly, you renewed my hope at Humanity! Based on experiences that we all go through life, one seems to think that the whole world has become selfish and no one cares to help other humans. Looking at the thousands of daily posts on various Forums of this website, it restored my believe in Humans helping Humans!
Thanks a million for helping me to make the right decision.
Whoever you are and wherever you are, May God Bless you and your loved ones.
Last edited:
If you have the funds to pay for a lawyer you are expected to use your own savings first and only access to government aid if you don’t have your own funds. Even if you qualify for social assistance it isn’t enough to live on in Toronto. As already indicated you are free to move anywhere in the country but must make your own arrangements. There will be noonee who will “move you“ to Toronto unless you have friends or family who are willing to drive you. I agree that it makes no sense to remain in Quebec for a few months if you want to settle in Toronto. As soon as you arrange things in Quebec you will essentially have to cancel them if you only stay for 1-2 months. The cost of living is much higher, shelter space is very tight and finding an affordable rental will be tough but if you have savings and will have 2 incomes it is doable.
Some good suggestions but I would not go straight to a shelter unless you’ve called ahead and know there is space because many are quite far from other shelters and not close to downtown Toronto so you would only want to pay and spend time travelling to a shelter if you knew they had space. Many shelters are already at capacity. In terms of going straight to Ontario works, if this family is able to afford their own lawyer they may not qualify for Ontario works. You are expected to use your own savings first. Dealing with a large volume of asylum seekers is both very expensive and has pushed many of the services to their breaking points so as soon as you leave a province you are no longer their concern. Provinces like Quebec are encouraging people to leave the provinces in since a large majority of asylum seekers enter via Quebec. Services like welfare, housing operating healthcare are provincial responsibilities so one provinces is not knowledgeable about the other’s services.
I don't know if you relocated to ontario but I did so my experience is recent. Like I said if you call toronto while you're in quebec, they will never tell you they have any space unless you are on the ontario soil. Every province don't want you to come to them cos they don't want to deal with you so no province will say come to us. So if you're moving you have to be determined. And about money issues I don't understand who tells govt they have money with them and can care for themselves yet claiming refugee. If you are ready to disclose funds why not file for studEnt visa? I'm sure Mafgan knows what's best to do and not get himself confused by side says. I only share what I know and I experienced myself, not what Google says. Goodluck
Last edited:
Of course no province wants to accept more asylum seekers especially given existing shelters are full. It is very expensive to provide for asylum seekers if they apply for welfare, stay in shelters and use legal aid. With such an increase number of asylum seekers entering Canada we return back to a time where legal aid were much more selective of what cases they took on and only funding initial applications for most people and not appeals or subsequent applications. Toronto had to rent out a hotel using property taxes for asylum seekers because existing shelters were full. When tax rates go up, TTC fares increase, local programs go unfounded, etc. most of the Toronto population questions why we are paying to shelter asylum seekers in hotels if they have shown that they have access to assets in visa/permit applications, have work permits,etc. If you got a travel visa to the US or Canada you had to declare funds so many arriving had to show proof of assets. To access welfare or most disability programs as a Canadian you have to prove that you have minimal savings and assets. Canadians are willing to help those who are truly a desperate situation and have no assets but are not happy to use our tax dollars sheltering people for free and giving out welfare while they spend their own money paying for housing, food, taxes, etc. if people do have their own assets. They expect any form of newcomer to do their part. Working as soon as possible, using their own savings first, etc. just like Canadians are expected to do. Many Canadians are barely surviving inflation but don’t have access to free shelter, both parents need to work, etc. and don’t have any hidden assets. There are asylum seekers who do the right thing and use their savings to support themselves while waiting for a work permit or stay with family even if the situations are not ideal but you are actually encouraging people to take advantage of the Canadian generosity and not be honest about your assets which is incredibly troubling and disappointing.
I honestly don't have time for you. Cos if all you derive from my advise is this newspaper you wrote, then that's honest time waste. Bye you!
I’d be more concerned about improving your English skills versus coming on here giving out your so called “ advice.”
Btw , the advice you gave , was tedious to say the least
Last edited:
Lol. You should avoid these people. They are selfish and don't want others to succeed. It's how people are. Stop responding to them. I'm new here and I already see how toxic it could be here.
Hi, if you're using a lawyer I'll suggest you have him send them a message. Not sure where you are cos I know quebec takes like a year wait. But those I know in toronto already got a date for the pre-eligibility interview. And most less complex cases i know in toronto are getting notified too. So I'll suggest try to fill all the forms (schedule 12 etc), and send to them regardless and also tell your lawyer to reach out to them. They respond better to lawyers from my experience. You may be getting a date soon. Fingers crossed.
Can you please share your timeline for reference? Thanks. I also crossed roxham road in Dec 2022 and came to Ontario the same week, applied for legal aid, got a lawyer, welfare and completed my medical exam and Submitted my forms within 2 weeks of entering Canada.