Migration & Settlement
The rules governing immigration in Canada are complex and the related bureaucracies can be difficult to navigate.
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This page offers some useful information, resources, and links to help migrants understand the system and protect themselves.
What does it mean to be undocumented?
Canada’s immigration system invites individuals and families in the Global South to work, study, or escape violence. Many are issued temporary visas that have specific conditions—the rules for which are constantly shifting, and the bureaucracies that process them are critically slow and inflexible.
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Significant challenges, including abuse, exploitation, health problems, and denied refugee claims, can lead to people becoming “non-status,” undocumented, or with an otherwise precarious immigration status. ​This leaves them in a cycle of poverty and exploitation. ​
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These complex dynamics are explained in a 2024 report titled "Hidden in Plain Sight: Precarious Legal Status Trajectories and their Long-term Consequences," from the Citizenship and Employment Precarity (CEP) research project.
​AWARE's Surviving the Canadian Dream project uses art, audio interviews, and other media to explore the realities faced by individuals and families with precarious status.
Legal Support
Navigating the legal system of a new country can be a challenge. Here, we introduce you to legal service providers with experience in matters that are especially relevant to members of the migrant community. With their deep knowledge and commitment, they are ready to guide you and provide you with the legal support you may require.
Temporary Foreign Worker Advisory Office (TFWAO)
A service provided by the Government of Alberta. Call or email to make an appointment. Alternatively, you can schedule a call with the help of RWAC (Rights and Welfare Action Committee). The intake worker will take your information, your case will be referred to a case manager, and you will then be contacted by phone or email.
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Action Coalition on Human Trafficking Alberta (ACT Alberta)
ACT Alberta is mandated to support undocumented people who have been victims of labor or sex trafficking. Services include help with legal immigration documents, food, housing, transportation, and connections to relevant authorities regarding labor standards and occupational health. Call the main line (780-474-1104) or leave a voicemail.​
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Edmonton Community Legal Center
Located downtown Edmonton. Offers services to migrants without immigration status. Migrants can contact them directly or be referred. An intake worker or immigration paralegal will collect information and documents from the client. If you meet all eligibility requirements, you will be scheduled for an appointment and you will have the opportunity to speak with an attorney in person (depending on availability) or over the phone. Once the clinic visit has been reviewed by staff attorneys, clients will be sent a letter containing all of the clinic's advice and any additional information that staff attorneys believe would assist the client in proceeding with their case.
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AWARE can support individuals with referrals as needed.