Canada's new asylum regulations take effect November 3, 2026, with a single online claim process

What changed

On November 3, 2026, IRCC published a news release and a backgrounder on new regulations that came into force that day. The regulations are made under the Strengthening Canada's Immigration System and Borders Act (Bill C-12). They amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations and introduce a single online application process for all asylum claims, whether made inland or at a port of entry.

According to IRCC:

• Two-step process inside Canada: people seeking to make a claim from inside Canada first answer questions in the IRCC Portal to indicate their intention to claim. They are then invited to an in-person appointment with an officer, where they formally make their claim.
• Document deadline: for claims eligible for referral to the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB), claimants have 60 days to submit their completed application and required documents. A one-time 30-day extension is available on request.
• Review timelines: a time limit now applies to government reviews (security, criminality, admissibility and program integrity) before a claim is referred to the IRB.
• Withdrawn and non-abandoned claims: new rules set out when the minister can reinstate a withdrawn claim. They also explain what a claimant must do when the IRB finds a claim has not been abandoned.
• Vulnerable claimants: the rules clarify when a designated representative must be appointed, for example for people under 18, and what that representative must do.
• Safe Third Country Agreement: the 14-day period in the Additional Protocol now begins when the person submits the online application indicating their intention to claim.
• Work permits: eligible claimants can receive a work permit after submitting a complete claim. This makes the current approach permanent.
• Exceptions to the new ineligibility rules:
  • unaccompanied minors;
  • people who register through the online portal and indicate their intention to seek asylum within their first year in Canada.

Who it affects

People making asylum claims in Canada, whether inland or at a port of entry.

Effective date

The regulations came into force on November 3, 2026. IRCC states they will be published in the Canada Gazette, Part II on November 4, 2026.

Official text

Read the IRCC news release and the IRCC backgrounder.

Every case is different, and no one can guarantee an immigration outcome.