Canada’s Asylum System Changes on November 3, 2026

New rules for Canada’s asylum system took effect on November 3, 2026. They introduce a single online application process for claims made inside Canada or at a port of entry and change how claims are screened before referral to the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB).

Key points

• The new process took effect on November 3, 2026. Inland claimants start online and formally make their claim in person.
• Claimants whose cases are eligible for referral have 60 days to complete their application and can request one 30-day extension.
• Government reviews take place before referral. Withdrawal options depend on whether eligibility has been decided and whether the claim has reached the IRB.

How the online asylum claim process works

People seeking asylum from inside Canada first use the IRCC Portal to indicate that they intend to claim protection. They then attend an appointment with an officer to make the claim formally.

If the claim is eligible for referral to the IRB, the claimant has 60 days to complete the application and provide the required documents. They can request a single extension of 30 days.

What happens before a claim goes to the IRB

The regulations set time limits for government reviews of security, criminality, admissibility and program integrity before referral. The IRB continues to decide referred claims independently.

Canada’s asylum system also has clearer procedures for resuming a claim the IRB finds was not abandoned and for reinstating certain withdrawn claims.

Support, work permits and eligibility exceptions

The rules clarify when vulnerable claimants need a designated representative and what that person must do. Eligible claimants can receive a work permit after completing their claim.

The new ineligibility rules provide an exception for unaccompanied minors. The one-year eligibility rule also has an exception for people who register their intention to claim asylum online within their first year in Canada.

New instruction on withdrawals before referral

IRCC distinguishes administrative withdrawal before an eligibility decision from Ministerial withdrawal after a claim is found eligible but before referral. A Ministerial withdrawal may make a future claim ineligible. A claimant can request reinstatement through IRCC, which assesses the request under the applicable rules.

Updated instructions

IRCC issued an operational update covering intake, screening and referral, the Safe Third Country Agreement, special claimant types and procedures after an interview. The direct links below include the new pre-referral withdrawal guidance and selected updated instructions.

• IRCC program delivery update and full instruction list
• New instructions: pre-referral withdrawals and reinstatements
• Intake of claims in Canada
• Intake at ports of entry
• Inland claim processing
• Eligibility for IRB referral
• Safe Third Country Agreement

Source: IRCC news release