Yahya Samatar, Somali who swam into Canada, wins bid to stay here

Yahya Samatar, the Somali man who swam across the Red River from North Dakota to Manitoba, is allowed to stay in Canada as a "protected person" and cannot be deported, ruledan adjudicator today.

Immediatelyafter the hearing Wednesday morningat the Victory Building in Winnipeg, Samatar broke into a smile, telling CBC News he can nowfocus on the future.

"I'm really happy that the constitution of the Canada give me a protections," he said in an excited, broken English. "Really very happy that I am a protected person as from today. Yeah, I'm really very, very, very happy."

Samatar's lawyer, Bashir Khan, said Wednesday's ruling means his clientshould receivehis permanent residence status in Canada within the next 12-14 months. When that happens,his wife and childrenwill also get the same status.

There is a further three-year wait to get Canadian citizenship after that.

• Somali refugee claimant swims across Red River, arrives in Manitoba
• Yahya Samatar: from humanitarian worker to refugee
• Swimming to freedom: the incredible story of Yahya Samatar

When he made it to American soil, he spent six months in a detention centre.Deniedrefugee status, Samatarmade his way northto the Canada-U.S. border in North Dakota in August 2015.

Not long afterwards,Samatarwas spotted by a passerby on the side of a road just outside Emerson, shivering in just his underwear.

The mangave Samatar some clothes anda drink, thencalled 911. An emergency team arrived and wrapped him in a blanket and border officials were contacted.

Samatar was takento the border station in Emerson and interviewed. Officials thencalled Hospitality House Refugee Ministry in Winnipeg, and he has been in their care since.

Will have to raise thousands for fees, costs

After the adjudicator told him he could stay, an emotionalSamatar said he was thrilled and can't waitto make Winnipeg his family's home.

"It's really unbelievable. The day I was coming the Canada I was not, you know, expecting the hospitality I've gotten. The welcome, I've got it from the Manitoba, Winnipeg. It's really very nice," he said.

Khan added though, there is some hard work ahead for Samatar. Samatar has to find work and start saving the thousands of dollars he's going to need for in application fees and airline tickets to bring his family here.

"Yahyadoes have a hard road ahead which is integration and family unification, and that requires money.Yahyahas been volunteering but has not been given a work permit and so he's got to build his life again and it's not going to be easy," Khan said.