03/30/2026
New eligibility requirements for asylum claims
Canada’s asylum system protects people who can demonstrate they face a real risk of persecution or serious harm. Two new eligibility requirements are now in effect and will apply to all claims made on or after June 3, 2025:
Asylum claims made more than one year after someone’s first entry into Canada after June 24, 2020, won’t be referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB), regardless of whether the person has since left and returned.
Asylum claims from people who enter Canada between ports of entry along the Canada–US land border and who make a claim after 14 days won’t be referred to the IRB.
These new eligibility requirements will reduce pressure on the asylum system, protect it against sudden increases in claims, close loopholes and deter people from claiming asylum as a shortcut to regular immigration pathways.
