Canada asylum portal changes will take effect on November 3, 2026, affecting how refugee protection claims are submitted through the IRCC Portal. People who begin a claim but do not submit it by 11:59 p.m. ET on November 2, 2026, will need to complete new questions and review previous answers.
Deadline for claims already started in the portal
IRCC says personal information entered in an unfinished asylum claim will be saved. However, claimants who do not submit their application by the November 2 deadline will need to answer new questions and review the information already provided when using the updated process.
- Submit an asylum claim in the IRCC Portal by 11:59 p.m. ET on November 2, 2026, to avoid providing new information unless IRCC asks for it.
- Claims that remain unsubmitted at that time will move to the updated submission process beginning November 3, 2026.
Refugee protection claims from within Canada
Canada offers asylum, legally known as refugee protection, to people in Canada who can demonstrate that they meet the definition of a Convention refugee or a person in need of protection.
IRCC also points applicants to a third-party illustrated orientation booklet that provides an easy-to-read overview of the refugee protection process in Canada.
Source: IRCC Newsroom