Legal Resources

Find websites and materials written in plain language.

Logo features a green square with white curved lines, and the organization name to the right. Below are the words “The Library Link For Newcomers.”

Settlement Information for Newcomers: Useful Immigrant Settlement Guides and Websites

NewToBC
NewToBC has compiled over 45 guides, videos, and websites on a range of topics that would be of interest to immigrants.
Last reviewed March 2024
Thumbnail of the booklet cover with a photo of a woman typing on a laptop. She is smiling and has a cup of coffee nearby. The cover also has the National Self-Represented Litigants Project logo and the Canadian Bar Association logo.

A Guide for SRLs with Disabilities: Understanding Your Rights and Requesting the Assistance You Need

National Self-Represented Litigants Project
This guide is for self-represented litigants (SRLs) who are also people with disabilities (PWDs). It provides information on disability accommodations and resources in the justice system. It includes a sample letter of accommodation request and what to do if you’re still experiencing barriers.
Last reviewed March 2024
Thumbnail of the cover, with title and a photo of two women facing away, hands raised in V sign, looking towards the mountains. The MOSAIC and Law Foundation logos are at the bottom.

Enhance Access to Safety for International Students

MOSAIC
This booklet provides legal education, sexual violence awareness, and community resources for international students in remote/underserved areas in BC. It includes information on the law and consent, reporting sexual assault to the police, legal protection options, and human rights law.
Last reviewed March 2024
Logo with the word "Canada" and a small Canadian flag above the last "a."

Sponsor Your Family

Government of Canada
Explains how if you are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada, you can sponsor your spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, dependent child (including adopted child), or other eligible relative (such as a parent or grandparent) to become a permanent resident.
Last reviewed March 2024
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Refugees and Asylum

Government of Canada
Refugees and persons in need of protection are people within or outside Canada who fear persecution and going back to their home country. This website provides information about Canada’s refugee programs along with information and resources for those who wish to claim refugee status in Canada.
Last reviewed March 2024
Logo with the word "Canada" and a small Canadian flag above the last "a."

Immigrate to Canada

Government of Canada
Find out how you can immigrate to Canada, how to protect yourself from fraud, and what to expect after you arrive in Canada.
Last reviewed March 2024
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Canadian Citizenship

Government of Canada
Explains how to apply for Canadian citizenship and how to get a proof of citizenship certificate or card. Also includes information on the citizenship test and preparing for the citizenship ceremony.
Last reviewed March 2024
Logo with the words "British Columbia" and a sun rising behind mountains.

Trusts

Government of British Columbia
Explains how trusts work for those who are receiving disability assistance, or accommodation or care in a private hospital or a special care facility. Includes information on types of trusts, how to set up trusts, trust payments, and more.
Last reviewed March 2024
Thumbnail of the cover, with the title, illustrated with photos. Two are young men smiling, the other is a woman in a wheelchair with a woman jogging.

Disability Assistance and Trusts

Government of British Columbia
Explains what a trust is; how having a trust affects your disability assistance; what the different kinds of trusts are; who can set up a trust for you; and how you can use the money in your trust without affecting your disability assistance.
Last reviewed March 2024
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Arrange an Interpreter for Court Proceedings

Government of British Columbia
This site explains how to get an interpreter for the deaf or hard of hearing. The site also explains the situations where the courts will provide an English language interpreter and offers resources for when they don’t provide one.
Last reviewed March 2024