Can I make a refugee claim if I am already in Canada on a work or study permit?

Yes, holding a valid work or study permit does not prevent you from making a refugee claim from inside Canada. The two things are handled somewhat separately: making a refugee claim doesn't automatically cancel your existing temporary status, but it does start a distinct process with its own eligibility screening and, if the claim proceeds, its own hearing before the Refugee Protection Division.

In practice, once a claim is made, your ability to keep working or studying may end up tied to the refugee claim process itself rather than your original permit, particularly once that permit's own validity period runs out, since claimants can generally apply for their own work authorization tied to a pending claim. It's important not to assume the original permit and the refugee process simply run in parallel forever without needing further steps.

Because filing a refugee claim while on valid status raises specific procedural questions — what happens to the existing permit, what authorization applies going forward, and how the eligibility interview treats someone with an existing valid basis to be in Canada — anyone in this situation should get legal advice before filing, so the transition between statuses is handled correctly and without a gap.