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Refugee Claim — Fees

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Refugee Claim
Fees & Costs

Refugee Claim Fees — Government, Third-Party, and Professional Costs

Complete cost breakdown for a Refugee Claim application: IRCC government fees, third-party costs (medical, biometrics, language test, ECA), and Halani's professional retainer range. All amounts in Canadian dollars.

Last reviewed:

IRCC government fees — Refugee Claim (RPD)

Government fees are paid directly to IRCC (and ESDC for LMIA-related steps). Fees current per the latest IRCC fee schedule.

Fee itemAmount
Principal applicant processing feeCAD $0

Refugee Protection Division hearings. Halani accepts Legal Aid certificates where eligible. Initial assessment is free.

Third-party fees

Paid to third parties, not to IRCC or Halani. Costs vary by country, provider, and applicant — the figures below are typical North American/Canadian-applicant ranges.

Fee itemTypical cost
Immigration medical exam (panel physician)Per adult. Varies by country.CAD $250+

Halani professional retainer

RCIC-IRB retainer for Refugee Claim

Halani's professional fee for Refugee Claim representation covers eligibility assessment, document strategy, application drafting, IRCC liaison, and post-submission support through to a decision. Initial consultation is free; no fees collected until you sign a retainer.

CAD $0CAD $0

Final fee depends on file complexity: multi-country residence history, prior refusals, family-size, employer involvement, and program-specific strategy. For an exact quote, book a free consultation.

Frequently asked questions — Refugee Claim fees

Is there a fee to make a refugee claim in Canada?
No. The refugee claim application itself has no IRCC or IRB fee. The claim is processed at no cost to the claimant. Costs that may arise: post-claim work permit application (CAD $255 OWP fee — but typically claimants are exempted under specific provisions), immigration medical exam ($250 if not Legal Aid covered), biometrics ($85 if required separately), and legal/representation costs if not Legal Aid covered.
Will Legal Aid pay for my refugee lawyer or RCIC?
Legal Aid Ontario, BC, and Quebec all cover refugee-protection cases for financially eligible claimants. Halani accepts LAO certificates and bills LAO directly. If you don't qualify for Legal Aid (because of income or asset thresholds), Halani offers refugee-protection representation on a privately-funded basis at a retainer typically lower than complex non-IRB immigration files.
What if I lose my refugee claim — what do appeals cost?
RAD appeals have no IRB filing fee. Federal Court judicial review of a negative RAD decision has a CAD $50 filing fee at the Federal Court registry. Legal Aid coverage continues through RAD appeals for eligible claimants; for Federal Court JR, Legal Aid coverage is more limited and depends on the merit of the case as assessed by the Legal Aid program.

Get an exact quote for your Refugee Claim file

Use our Fee Estimator for a complete cost breakdown including dependants and add-ons, or book a free consultation for a personalized retainer quote.

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