A person seeking refugee protection in Canada is called a refugee claimant. They have fled their country, arrive to Canada, and ask for protection because they fear risk of persecution due to their race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group.
Refugee claimants are sometimes called asylum seekers or asylum claimants.
Refugee claimants have legal, temporary resident status in Canada. They are accountable to Canada’s three immigration agencies (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), and the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB)). For more information on refugee claimant facts, figures, and myths see the Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR) website.