Who is an asylum seeker?

Asylum seekers are people seeking to be recognised as refugees. The terms asylum seeker and international protection applicant (IPA) are interchangeable. We prefer to use ‘person seeking international protection’; ‘protection applicant’; or simply ‘applicant’ as these terms are more empowering.  

International protection applicants (asylum seekers) would be people who have made an application for international protection or ‘asylum’ either at the border (e.g., airport) or the International Protection Office (IPO) and are waiting for the authorities to make a decision on this application.

People in this process are legally entitled to stay in the state until their application for protection is decided. They also have a right to a fair hearing of that application and to an appeal if necessary.