Duty Counsel (Immigration Law)

Legal Aid BC (LABC) provides duty counsel services for people in detention at the Canada Border Services Agency's enforcement centre in Vancouver. Duty counsel provides advice regarding procedures, legal rights, and may appear on a client's behalf at detention hearings. Clients may also be able to have a lawyer represent them if they are facing an immigration proceeding that may result in removal from Canada or if the client wishes to claim refugee status. People do not have to meet LABC financial eligibility requirements to receive immigration duty counsel services. To access service, detainees should ask to speak to duty counsel or call the legal aid immigration line.