Canada will replace its online asylum filing process on November 3, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada says. The new system changes what people with unfinished applications must do.
The switch happens at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on November 2. Anyone whose claim is already submitted through the IRCC portal will not need to take action unless the department asks for more information.
The new Refugee Claim Application will ask some people to revisit saved answers and complete new questions. Information already entered will remain saved.
Border claims have a separate transition step. A claimant whose file is not linked to an account must link it and re-enter personal and family details.
Unfinished claims follow different transition steps
Free toolCanada Express Entry Points CalculatorThe required next step depends on whether the claim was submitted and, for claims begun at the border, whether it has been linked to an online account.
| Claim status at the switch | What the claimant must do |
|---|---|
| Started online but not submitted | Answer new questions and review earlier responses before submitting. |
| Submitted online | No action, unless the department requests more information. |
| Begun with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), but not linked to an account | Link the claim, then re-enter personal and family details. |
| Linked to an account but not submitted | Answer new questions and review earlier responses before submitting. |
IRCC says details collected by a border officer will not be lost during the change, even if a claimant has not linked the file by the cutoff. Linking still avoids having to enter personal and family information again. Already-submitted claims face no change under the transition instructions.
Saved answers remain, but unfinished applications need review
People with an incomplete online file should sign in, check the information they entered and respond to the new questions. IRCC says personal information will be saved, but claimants must review previous answers before submission.
The department’s online asylum instructions say one account can be used for a claimant and family members claiming asylum. A person who cannot file online for accessibility reasons can ask to submit on paper.
Claimants and each family member included in a claim must complete a Basis of Claim (BOC) form and copy a passport, travel document or other identification. Anyone helping with the filing must provide a completed, signed Use of a Representative form.
Other documents may support a claim. IRCC lists identity papers, proof of entry, evidence of political or group membership, police certificates, conviction records and proof of ill treatment among examples. Applicants may also provide news articles or human-rights reports about conditions in their home country, and an explanation of difficulties submitting information through the portal.
Claimants should check their application status and follow the updated instructions. The department says a claim submitted before the cutoff does not require new information unless IRCC asks for it.
The department says the new process should reduce repeat questions
IRCC says it designed the new application to reduce repeated questions and collect fuller information before eligible files go to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, which decides whether a person qualifies for refugee protection.
The change sits within reforms under the Strengthening Canada's Immigration System and Borders Act, which received Royal Assent on March 26, 2026. Proposed implementing regulations appeared in the Canada Gazette on June 20, 2026. The department updated its instructions for claims made inside the country and at the border on October 1.
A claimant seeking protection must show they qualify as a convention refugee or a person in need of protection based on the risk they expect if returned. Convention refugee grounds include persecution tied to race, religion, political opinion, nationality or membership in a particular social group. A person in need of protection faces a risk of torture, cruel treatment or death.
An eligible claim goes to the board for a decision. If a claim is rejected or found ineligible for referral, the person may, on CBSA’s advice, apply for a pre-removal risk assessment, a further route to seek protection.
Claimants can use the web form to report portal problems
People who encounter technical difficulties can contact IRCC through its web form. The department’s instructions specify what to enter when a claimant lacks identification numbers and what evidence to provide.
- In the client identifier field, enter 1111111111 if you do not have a unique client identifier.
- If you have not submitted an application and lack an application number, enter 0000000 in that field.
- Identify the program and describe the technical issue. Include screenshots of the page, the affected fields and any error messages.
- State the error, the device and browser used, and when the problem occurred.
IRCC says the transition does not remove the ability to make an asylum claim. Its guidance also warns: “Claiming asylum isn't a shortcut to help you stay in Canada longer. If Canada decides you don't need protection, you need to leave the country. If you lie on your claim, you could be banned from returning.”
A public policy has allowed referred claimants to seek open work permits while waiting for a board hearing since 2022. On June 19, 2026, the government took an initial step toward making that early access permanent through regulatory changes. The new online process begins November 3.
