This information is for front-line workers and advocates working with women who have experienced family violence and who have questions about their immigration status in Canada. Immigration law in Canada is complicated. It is easy to make a serious mistake. It is important that a woman with concerns about her immigration status try to get legal help. This fact sheet explains: what a humanitarian and compassionate (H&C) application is; what Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship Canada (IRCC) (formerly known as Citizenship and Immigration Canada or CIC) considers in deciding an H&C application; what kind of evidence can support the application.