Refugee claimants differ from sponsored refugees in that they often have no one to meet them, no housing in place, and few resources to support them.
While trying to meet basic needs and survive, refugee claimants are also going through the complex refugee protection process leading to their refugee hearing, where a decision is made whether they can stay in Canada or not. It can take months, and sometimes years to reach this point. The whole process from arriving in Canada to receiving Permanent Residence can take 2-3 years, and sometimes even longer.
One of the most pressing needs for a newly arrived refugee claimant is finding a place to stay. When resettled refugees (Privately Sponsored Refugees and Government Assisted Refugees) arrive in Canada, they immediately receive Permanent Resident status and have housing and settlement support available to them. Refugee claimants do not have this kind of support.
There are some short-term refugee housing options that have been established specifically for refugee claimants. These are a good option and offer much more support and safety than other homeless shelters. Not only do they provide a safe place to live at no cost, they also offer other specialized supports that refugee claimants need during their first few months in Canada. Many, but not all, of these refugee shelters in Canada were established by Christians and have strong connections to churches.
If you are a refugee claimant looking for a place to stay, you can contact any refugee shelters directly to see if they have space. Click here for the list of shelters across Canada. You can also use the Resource Map to look up refugee houses near you.
If you are in Toronto, you can also contact Red Cross First Contact and they will assist you in finding a place to stay.
Toll-Free: 1-866-902-4993
Phone: 416-480-2500 options 1 & 1
Email: firstcontactontario@redcross.ca
You can watch the videos to learn more about refugee houses and listen to some real-life sharing from residents in the shelter.