The Legal Advocacy Program provides information, summary advice, referrals, and representation to low-income immigrants and refugees.
Specializing in immigration, and poverty law, the program aims to help newcomers deal more effectively with the Canadian legal system, ensuring they are informed of their legal rights and responsibilities. Program services are provided in a linguistically and culturally sensitive environment.
Client eligibility
Assistance is provided/priority is given to individuals who meet the following criteria:
have low income
have difficulty with English
have little/no knowledge of the Canadian legal system, and
have issues no other agency is able to assist with
Cost
All advocacy services are FREE
Financial assessment guidelines are used to determine client eligibility
Any filing or application fees are at clients’ expense
In the first appointment, we may:
Give information or summary advice.
Refer you to another organization/agency.
Make an assessment and then provide representation.
We may also not have an answer for you during the 1st appointment; we may need to get back to you at a later date.
Remember: Bring all relevant documents to your first meeting.
Appointment expectations
Please come 10 minutes early for the appointment, as you will have to read a disclaimer and fill out a confidential intake form. No late comers will be seen. Anyone arriving late 15 minutes, or more, will be rescheduled for another day, you will not be served that same day.
Interpretation services
For your first meeting with the Legal Advocacy Program please bring a friend or relative who can help with interpreting. Let us know before your first meeting if language assistance is needed, we may be able to make accommodations. Interpretation services are available only for previously assessed clients with open files.
Summary of legal areas covered
(This is just a summary; again, the legal issues will be determined after the first appointment)
Immigration Law:
Family reunification issues
Difficulties obtaining permanent residency for Convention Refugees and others with admissibility barriers
Limited humanitarian and compassionate applications with merit
Citizenship issues
* Please note that we do not provide legal assistance with the refugee determination system. This includes the initial stage right through to Appeals, Stays and Admissibility Hearings. Please contact Legal Services Society (Legal Aid). If you do contact us, we will only be able to provide a referral.
Poverty Law:
Income Assistance
Disability (MEIA, CPP)
Employment Insurance
Employment Standards and other employee issues
Other poverty-related issues, like debt
Family Law:
Referrals only
Client Story:
MOSAIC believes in providing support to clients while receiving services. Please visit our dedicated client subsection that provides information on
