Canada to launch new asylum claim process on November 3

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced a cutover to a new online process for asylum claims, effective Nov. 3, 2026.

The impact on claimants will vary depending on their stage in the process at the time immediately before the cutover, which is 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on Nov. 2, 2026.

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The cutover date and impact on applicants were communicated on Oct. 1, 2026, by updates to the government web pages “Claiming asylum from within Canada” and “Claiming asylum at the border when you enter Canada.”

Claimants who submit their existing claims before the cutover will not be required to provide any additional information, unless they are specifically requested to do so by IRCC.

For a successful claim, a claimant will need to show that they meet the definition of a convention refugee or a person in need of protection, on the basis of what they expect to face upon returning to their home country.

Convention refugees are those who face persecution due to their race, religion, politics, nationality, or membership in a particular social group.

Persons in need of protection are those who face cruelty, torture, or mortal risk.

If the claimant is determined to be eligible, their claim will be referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) for a decision.

Since 2022, the federal government has had a public policy in place that allows a referred claimant to apply for an open work permit while awaiting their hearing at the IRB.

On June 19, 2026, Canada took the first step to make early access permanent through changes to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.

If an individual’s asylum claim is rejected, or if they are found to be ineligible for referral to the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB), they can, upon advice from CBSA, apply for a pre-removal risk assessment (PRRA), which is typically their last chance to seek protection in Canada.

On March 26, 2026, the federal government expanded access to work permits for claimants awaiting the PRRA process after having been found ineligible for referral to the IRB.

If successful in their application to the IRB or through the PRRA, an individual is typically given status as a protected person, which authorizes them to remain in Canada indefinitely.

A protected person can apply for and obtain Canadian permanent residence, unless barred by grounds for inadmissibility, such as having a disqualifying criminal record, for example, a DUI.

Protected persons with such records for crimes committed outside Canada can first apply for individual rehabilitation to overcome criminal inadmissibility before pursuing permanent residence.

After living in Canada for at least 1,095 days, permanent residents can apply to be naturalized as Canadian citizens.

Toward the sum of that physical presence requirement, a permanent residence can count as half-days any days they have been in Canada with valid temporary resident status, up to a total credit of 365.