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COVID-19 updates
All visitors to legal aid offices must wear a mask until further notice.
We’ve temporarily changed some of our services.

Legal Aid Ontario offices closed for Victoria Day
Please note that all Legal Aid Ontario offices will be closed on Monday, May 23, 2022 for the Victoria Day holiday weekend. All offices and our call centre will resume regular business hours on Tuesday, May 24.

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Français LAO Client Portal
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  • Services
    • Temporary service changes due to COVID-19
    • COVID-19 and the courts: Answers to frequently asked questions
    • Criminal legal issues
    • Domestic Violence
    • Family legal issues
    • Mental health legal issues
    • Refugee and immigration legal issues
    • All services
    • Legal clinics
    • How to apply
    • Find a lawyer
      • Finding the right legal aid lawyer
    • What do you think about our services?
  • For legal professionals
    • COVID-19: Ongoing list of supports for lawyers
    • LASA, 2020 process updates for lawyers
    • Changes to policies and certificate coverage
    • Roster resources
      • Audit & Compliance
      • Billing
      • Case management
      • Forms library
      • Legal Aid Services Act, 2020 policies
      • Legal Aid Online
      • LAO LAW
      • Resources by area of law
    • Do legal aid work
    • Mentoring
    • Test case funding
    • News for lawyers
    • B3 Newsletters
    • Contacts for lawyers
  • Corporate
    • About
    • Rules and policies
    • Board of Directors
    • Executive Team
    • Board Advisory Committees
    • Our clients
    • Sidney B. Linden Award
    • French Language Services
    • Consultations
    • Open Government
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Refugee and immigration legal issues

Important notice:
Some of our services have temporarily changed due to the COVID‑19 crisis. The information provided on this page may no longer be accurate. Please visit our COVID‑19 client or COVID-19 FAQs: imigration and refugee law page to learn how this may impact you.

We may pay for a lawyer to represent you if you are a refugee claimant or an immigrant who qualifies for legal aid services.  If you are eligible for legal aid but do not have a lawyer, you can choose to have either a private bar or LAO staff lawyer represent you.

If you are a refugee claimant and would like further information on how LAO may be able to help you, visit our Services for refugee claimants section.

For more information on how LAO may help with your immigration matter, visit our Immigration services section.

An LAO representative will help you in the language of your choice (through an interpreter if necessary).

If we cannot help you because we do not provide assistance for your matter, you may be able to get help at your local legal clinic or a student legal service organizations.

What LAO does NOT do

LAO does not help people:

  • obtain permanent resident status (except on humanitarian and compassionate grounds) or checking the status of applications with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
  • prepare sponsorship applications
  • renew temporary resident permits or student visas
  • resolve problems in getting Ontario Health Insurance Plan coverage

The government charges application fees for some immigration matters

Even if you have a legal aid certificate, you still have to pay Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s application and filing fees for your immigration matters.


How do I apply for legal aid?


  • This form is feedback only.

Related Pages

Temporary service changes due to COVID-19

Last updated: May 20, 2022 A blend of remote and in-person services are now available as part of Legal Aid Ontario’s transition back to providing in-person services. Visitors must screen for COVID-19 symptoms before entering a legal aid office. Instructions are posted outside…

Refugee Client & Lawyer Rights and Responsibilities

These standards are in place to protect refugee clients and to better define their relationship with their lawyer. Rights & Responsibilities If you claimed at an airport, seaport, land or border crossing, you will get a copy of your Basis of Claim Form (BOC). You and…

Immigration services

If you are financially eligible and your matter has merit, LAO may pay to: represent you at a detention review, where, if the government has detained you for immigration reasons, you challenge the government’s reasons for detaining you and argue for your release. Learn more…

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