TORONTO, June 22, 2026 – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada released proposed amendments to the refugee claim process on June 22. The draft rules would require claimants to submit a complete application within 60 days and would allow them to request one extension of up to 30 days. Eligible claimants may also be able to receive work permits earlier after submitting a complete application. People preparing claims, waiting to provide additional documents, or assisting minors and applicants with limited English should note that the changes are still under consultation and have not yet taken effect. Treating the proposal as a current rule could cause applicants to miss the actual deadlines in their individual cases.
The draft would provide clearer information about which documents claimants must submit and when the materials must be completed. The proposed 60-day period would be the deadline for submitting a complete application. It would not mean that claimants should wait until the final day to begin preparing. Incomplete identity documents, personal history statements or other required materials could still delay the claim’s progress to the next stage.
A single 30-day extension would not be granted automatically. Claimants would need to actively request it, and approval would depend on the final wording of the regulations and the circumstances of the individual case. Anyone who has already received a notice from the immigration department or the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada should continue to follow the existing deadline stated in that notice.
The proposed rules would also create the possibility for eligible claimants to receive work permits earlier, but only after they have submitted a complete claim and passed the relevant eligibility steps. The announcement that some applicants may receive permits sooner does not mean every refugee claimant will automatically receive a work permit, and there is no guaranteed processing time that applies to all cases.
The draft would also clarify how a withdrawn claim could be reinstated, how a claim considered abandoned could continue, and when a designated representative would be required for minors or people who cannot fully understand the process. A designated representative is not the same as a lawyer, and the person’s responsibilities and term would be further defined under the new rules.
Public consultation on the proposed amendments is open until 11:59 p.m. on July 20. The government may revise the proposal based on feedback, and the final effective date has not yet been announced.
Claimants should keep online submission confirmations, document requests, hearing information and copies of all materials, and should follow the instructions they personally receive rather than applying the proposed 60-day deadline on their own. Anyone unsure whether their documents are complete or unable to understand an English notice should contact a licensed legal representative or legal aid organization as early as possible to reduce the risk of delays or having the claim treated as incomplete.（LJI by Yuanyuan）
