Safety and Legal Help

911: police, fire, ambulance (all emergencies). 211: community and social services (housing, food, mental health). 988: crisis and suicide helpline (24/7, bilingual). 811: health advice by phone (available in most provinces). IRCC Call Centre: 1-888-242-2100. Local non-emergency police: varies by city (search for your local number). Call 911 for any immediate danger — operators can arrange translation services.

Assaulted Women's Helpline (Ontario): 1-866-863-0511 (available in Ukrainian). VictimLinkBC: 1-800-563-0808 (multilingual). Barbra Schlifer Clinic (Toronto): trauma-informed legal and counselling services. ShelterSafe.ca: national emergency shelter locator. Your immigration status does NOT affect your right to police protection in Canada. If you are experiencing domestic violence, call 911 or go to the nearest shelter. Shelters provide safe housing, food, and help with next steps.

Legal aid provides free or low-cost legal services for immigration and family law matters. Legal Aid Ontario: 1-800-668-8258. Legal Aid Quebec: 1-800-842-2213. Legal aid in British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba also serves newcomers. Immigration legal aid is available for urgent matters including detention, removal hearings, and refugee claims. If you cannot afford a lawyer, contact legal aid first.

Only use a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) registered with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC). Verify any consultant in the CICC's public registry before paying them. Ghost consultants (unauthorized representatives) are a major problem in the Ukrainian community — they charge high fees and often file incorrect applications that can permanently damage your immigration file.

Red flags: no RCIC licence number, guarantees of approval ("100% success"), cash-only payment, claims of "special connections" at IRCC, pressure to quickly sign representation agreements, request for your IRCC portal password (a consultant never needs it). If you have been defrauded, report it to the CICC and your local police. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (1-888-495-8501) also accepts reports.

Lost or stolen passport: contact the Ukrainian embassy or consulate in Canada. Lost work permit: request a replacement through your IRCC online account (IRCC keeps digital records). Lost SIN card: the physical card is not needed (memorize the number or access it via My Service Canada Account). Lost health card: contact your provincial health authority. In case of identity theft: file a police report, contact your bank, report to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. Keep digital copies of all your documents in a secure cloud account. This is general information only. For advice tailored to your situation, consult a licensed RCIC or immigration lawyer.