Social support services
for newly arrived
refugee claimants
in Montreal
Click on a service to learn more:
Are you an organizational or social worker who works with refugee claimants? Click here to download flyers about our services.
Understanding the refugee claim
A participatory online conference on the refugee claim process
In this session, a specialized social worker will provide a detailed explanation of the refugee claim process in Canada. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and learn from the experiences and inquiries of others.
When: Generally twice a month at 10 AM on Thursdays (most weeks) and some Saturdays
Format: Online – easily accessible via phone
Languages: French, English, and Spanish (check the calendar above to register in your preferred language)
Understanding the refugee claim is offered in partnership with La Clinique pour la justice migrante.
Note to social workers: While these sessions are designed for refugee claimants, social workers supporting them are also welcome. We ask all participants to respect that this is a safe space for learning and mutual support, centring the needs of people in the refugee claim process. Please ensure that any questions or comments are made in a trauma-informed and considerate manner.
The Welcome Guide
everything you need to know as a refugee claimant in Montreal
The Welcome Guide is a multilingual resource directory (available in French, English, Spanish, and Portuguese) created specifically for refugee claimants. Developed and regularly updated by our team, the guide allows both refugee claimants and community workers who support them to find answers to their essential questions with autonomy.
Welcome Walk-in Centre
our no-appointment day centre open 4 days a week
The center provides refugee claimants with accessible information and specialized support for settling in Montreal and navigating the refugee claim process. It also serves as a vital mutual aid space where claimants can complete these steps in a supportive environment.
Staffed by specialized community workers, social work interns, and trained volunteers—many current or former Welcome Collectives clients—the center fosters a strong sense of community and mutual support.
Our social intervention team is proud to have co-created this walk-in center in collaboration with our clients, ensuring it meets the needs of newcomers at every step of the process.
We are open Monday to Thursday from 10am to 4pm (closed Fridays)
Our address: 9494 boul St-Laurent #802 (8th floor), Montréal, QC H2N 1P4
[Sauvé metro station or bus line 55]
FAQ
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We offer psychosocial and information services, as well as access to a mutual aid space and a computer lab:
Same-day or short-term individual psychosocial support from specialized community workers.
Access to a computer lab for the IRCC portal, refugee claim applications, and essential services registration, with personalized support.
Access to the computer lab for other tasks (such as CV writing, job searching, and apartment hunting) without personalized support and subject to computer availability.
Occasional access to material donations based on availability (e.g., strollers, newborn kits, rolled-up thin mattresses).
Assessment and registration for our material support programs (see criteria here)
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Services are provided on a first-come, first-served basis.
Our community workers are available to answer your questions and provide information about our services.
For those using the computer lab for the IRCC portal, we recommend arriving at 9:30 AM for the best chance of securing a spot.
Please note: There may be a wait to speak with a community worker.
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Our walk-in center is open to all refugee claimants (including those planning to apply) and newcomers with precarious immigration status.
Material support services are primarily intended for refugee claimant families, with priority given to:
Pregnant women or families with newborns
Single-parent families
Families with young children
Families with children with disabilities
Depending on availability, some material donations may also be distributed to single adults.
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Our community workers provide assistance with:
Specific steps relating to accessing services and other psychosocial needs: evaluation, orientation and follow-up when necessary, individual support to fill out forms, calling institutions, accessing services from a rights perspective, etc.)
Specific steps relating to the refugee claim: evaluation, orientation, explanations, individual support for certain forms and calls to institutions, etc.)
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We don’t offer individual support for job search and CV writing – [Please consult this page of the Welcome Guide].
We don’t offer translation or certification of written documents – [Please consult this page of the Welcome Guide].
We don’t offer individual support for work permit renewal applications – [Please consult this page of the Welcome Guide].
We don’t offer assistance with finding an apartment – [Please consult this page of the Welcome Guide].
Speak with a community worker
This form allows you to send a specific question about your situation to a Welcome Collective community worker and receive a personalized response.
This form is intended for questions relating to immigration procedures and social services, such as the refugee claim application process, how to access to services in Montreal and your rights as a refugee claimant. For questions relating to material donations, please consult this page.
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