Canada Overhauls Asylum Process, Gives Claimants 60 Days to Submit Documents
- Canada's immigration department published sweeping changes to its asylum system, introducing a unified online application process for all claimants
- Asylum seekers now have 60 days to submit completed applications after their claims are found eligible for referral to the refugee board
- Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab announced the reforms alongside data showing asylum claims dropped 52% between January and August 2026
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Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over eight years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
Canada has overhauled its asylum application process, requiring claimants to use a single online portal and meet a 60-day deadline for submitting completed applications and supporting documents.
Legit.ng reports that Canada's immigration agency outlined the conditions under which Nigerians and others facing danger can seek refugee protection.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said the reforms are designed to speed up the processing of refugee claims and cut the backlog of pending decisions.
The IRCC published the changes on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, saying they take effect immediately.
How the new application process works
Under the revised system, people seeking asylum from within Canada must first complete an online questionnaire to signal their intention to make a claim. They are then invited to attend an in-person appointment with an immigration officer to formally submit their cases.
Once a claim is found eligible for referral to the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB), claimants have 60 days to provide their completed application and all required documents. A single 30-day extension is available on request.
IRCC said the new process cuts duplication and administrative work, and gives the immigration minister the opportunity to review documents before cases reach the board.
The reforms also set time limits for government security, criminality, admissibility, and programme integrity checks that must be completed before claims proceed to hearings. The department said finishing these reviews in advance would prevent delays caused by incomplete files reaching the board.
What the new rules mean for claimants
Eligible asylum seekers will retain access to work permits after submitting complete claims, a provision the department has now made permanent. This allows claimants to support themselves financially while their applications are being assessed.
The regulations introduce exceptions for unaccompanied minors and people who register their intention to seek asylum through the online portal within their first year in Canada, shielding them from the new ineligibility rules.
The changes also clarify the procedures for withdrawn claims, outlining what claimants must do to continue pursuing their cases and when the minister may reinstate a withdrawn application.
Additional protections are built in for vulnerable individuals, including children and people who may not fully understand the asylum process, with clearer rules on when designated representatives must be appointed.
On the Canada-United States Safe Third Country Agreement, IRCC confirmed the reforms do not change how the agreement is applied but clarify how its provisions work under the new system. The 14-day period in the agreement's Additional Protocol will now begin when a person submits the online intention-to-claim application.
Announcing the changes, Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab said the reforms would give claimants greater certainty while helping Canada maintain an orderly asylum system.
IRCC reported that asylum claims lodged in Canada between January and August 2026 fell 52 per cent compared with the same period in 2025, and 68 per cent compared with the corresponding period in 2024.
The changes build on Canada's Strengthening Canada's Immigration System and Borders Act, also known as Bill C-12, which passed in March 2026 and introduced new restrictions on asylum eligibility, including a rule that claims made more than one year after a person's first entry into Canada may be ruled ineligible for referral to the refugee board.
Canada announces 7 new immigration laws
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that Canada's immigration regulator is pausing all Express Entry draws from November 3 while it recalculates scores for every candidate in the pool under a new labour market scoring factor.
New penalties for fraudulent immigration representation, reaching up to $1.5 million for repeat violations, came into force in late October 2026.
Remote Area Border Crossing permits will expire on November 30, ending a system that allowed travellers to cross certain Canadian borders without reporting to a staffed post.
Source: Legit.ng
