05/11/2026
The Safe Third Country Agreement is an agreement between Canada and the United States. It means that, in most cases, a person must ask for refugee protection in the first of the two countries they arrive in.
So if someone comes to Canada through the U.S. and makes a refugee claim at the border, they may be found ineligible — because the U.S. is considered a ‘safe’ country under this agreement.
However, there are important exceptions, like certain family connections in Canada or specific risk factors. Not everyone is treated the same, and the details matter a lot.
This agreement can stop a refugee claim at the border — unless an exception applies.