Certificate In Refugee Class Immigration Law (Live Online)

Program Overview

The Certificate in Refugee Class Immigration Law (CIRC) is intended for Immigration Practitioners who are seeking an in-depth knowledge of this area of Immigration Law. It is designed to bridge theory and knowledge with practical experience and case studies. Practice before both the Refugee Protection Division and the Refugee Appeal Division will be covered in detail. Faculty are chosen for their in-depth knowledge of this specialised area of Immigration Law.

Upon completion of this Certificate program, students will be familiar with the requirements which must be established for a person to be found to be a Convention Refugee and a Protected Person under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). Students will understand the process and procedure of preparing a refugee claim, appearing before the Refugee Protection Division (RPD) and appealing decisions to the Refugee Appeal Division (RAD). Both the RPD and the RAD are divisions of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB). The IRB is Canada’s largest independent administrative tribunal. It is responsible for making decisions on immigration and refugee matters. The RPD decides claims for refugee protection made in Canada. The Refugee Appeal Division decides appeals from the RPD.

The program examines the common reasons why refugee applications fail and deals with important strategies which can be used to address those potential shortcomings. Students are guided through the entire process from the initial claim to designated protected status or removal. Those attending the program will be given ample opportunity to practice how to make assessments of claims based on interview questions and document analysis. In addition, the relevant sections of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) will be carefully studied. Case studies, scenario-based discussions and simulations are used throughout the program ensuring that by the time students graduate, they have both the theoretical and practical knowledge needed to practice within this specialized area of Immigration Law.

Topics Covered

• Overview of the Law and Procedure
• Convention Refugees and Protected Persons
• Admissibility and exclusion issues
• Identity and Credibility
• State Protection and internal flight alternatives
• Preparing for the RPD Hearing
• Appealing to the RAD
• Pre-removal risk assessments
• Humanitarian/Compassionate applications
• Assessing a client’s needs
• Client interviewing
• Case Studies

Admission Requirements

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

1. Be a lawyer who is a member in good standing of a law society of a province or a notary who is a member in good standing of the Chambre des notaires du Québec;
2. Be any other member in good standing of a law society of a province or the Chambre des notaires du Québec, including a paralegal; or
3. Be a member in good standing of the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council; and
4. The Admissions Policy. For more information click here.

Technical Requirements

Online Students

Ashton College uses Adobe Connect and Schoology to help instructors and students connect and collaborate online. Students should have regular access to a computer, laptop or smartphone to access the class materials.

To be able to participate in webinars, students would need a webcam and headset, or a microphone and headphones, along with a high-speed internet connection. To view the technical requirements for Schoology, please click here and to view the technical requirements for Adobe Connect, please click here.

Please run a test to ensure whether your device can run Adobe Connect. You may be required to install the Adobe Connect add-in. If that’s the case, you will receive instructions to do so when you access a meeting for the first time. It is mandatory to run a Diagnostic Test to join an Adobe Connect meeting on a computer. The Diagnostic Test ensures that your computer and network connections are verified.

Adobe Connect mobile app is only available on Android devices and iOS. Recorded sessions are not accessible via the mobile device app, so students will need to use a desktop/laptop to view the recorded sessions.

Dates

Live Online

Part Time:

• May 06, 2020 – August 13, 2020
  • Students must devote at least 3 hours per week to attend live webinars.
  • Webinars will be held on Wednesday and Thursday from 6:00 – 7:30 pm PST. Please note that there are no class on the week of July 1st.
  • Outside of live instructional periods, students will be expected to take part in various independent and/or group activities.

Fees

Registration fee for this course is $995.