Find out about other legal help for people with low incomes

If you can’t afford to hire a lawyer, here are some other places where you may be able to get help with an immigration matter.

Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) phone lines

LAO gives general information and referrals over the phone to people of all income levels. You can also get up to 20 minutes of free general legal advice by calling 1-800-668-8258 from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

LAO also has 4 regional offices with a Francophone legal advice line that gives legal information and advice in French to people living in those areas.

Law Society Referral Service

The Law Society Referral Service can give you the name of a lawyer you can consult with for free, for up to 30 minutes.

Use the Law Society of Ontario’s online request form to get the name of a lawyer that you can contact.

The Ontario Legal Information Centre phone line

The Association of French-Speaking Jurists of Ontario(AJEFO) has a resource called the Ontario Legal Information Centre that gives you 30 minutes with a lawyer over the telephone or in person. Call 1-844-343-7462 to speak with a lawyer about any area of law in English or French. You may have to leave a message, and a lawyer will call you back.

JusticeNet

JusticeNet is a not-for-profit organization that helps people access legal services when their income is too high to qualify for legal aid but too low to afford legal fees.

If your net family income is less than $59,000, they let you use their online directory of lawyers and paralegals who offer help at reduced rates depending on your income.  

You must register and pay a $25 fee to use the directory. They may return the fee to you if you don’t find a professional to work with.