a person forced to flee persecution.

someone who has made a claim for protection as a refugee. Refugee claimants receive a determination of whether they are refugees once they arrive in Canada.

someone seeking asylum, may not be a refugee.

a refugee who was offered a permanent home in another country, while they are still outside of that country. Resettled refugees in Canada are determined to be refugees before they arrive in Canada.

someone who has applied for refugee status while in Canada and who was granted permanent resident status based on their fear of returning to their original country. The reason for their fear must be “well-founded” and includes persecution for race, nationalist, religion, social group of political opinion.

someone who has chosen to permanently settle in another country (note: refugees are forced to leave their home, while immigrants are not)

a governmental program that provides income support and essential service assistance to newcomers during their first 4-6 weeks in Canada. Essential services include temporary accommodation, financial orientation, life skills training and program referral.

The Interim Federal Health Program is health-care coverage in Canada for refugee claimants, resettled refugees and other groups that do not qualify for provincial/territorial health insurance. This coverage is temporary and limited, and does not cover services someone may claim under a public or private health insurance plan.

someone who only has permission to stay in Canada on a temporary basis

someone who is outside their country of origin

an immigrant who is being “sponsored” by their relative, who must be a Canadian citizen and to financially support the sponsored relative. Examples of sponsored immigrants can include a sponsor’s spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, parents, grandparents and dependent children.

an immigrant who has moved countries for economic reasons, such as taking a new job.

someone who does not have permission to stay in the country (overstayed their visa, for example)

someone who came to Canada (as a refugee or immigrant) and has been granted permanent resident status

outdated term, now replaced by permanent resident

required for permanent resident applicants. Must be performed by a doctor on the list of panel physicians, and includes a medical history questionnaire and basic physical exam. The results of this exam will be included in the permanent residency application.

the primary federal legislation that regulates Canadian immigration. It provides the principles that guide the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) to make decisions on immigrant and refugee cases.