(CANADA) — Canada has granted certain Ugandan nationals and former residents a temporary opportunity to halt deportation by allowing them to request a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment on a reopened basis, applying to individuals who received a final negative asylum decision between June 20, 2025, and June 19, 2026.

Affected Ugandan cases gain a fresh chance to have the risks of removal evaluated before deportation proceeds. Those who qualify can seek a new risk assessment rather than facing removal after their asylum claims have been fully rejected.

Officials described the policy as a last legal protection before deportation for affected Ugandan cases. It is tied specifically to final negative refugee outcomes issued within the one-year window.

The provision functions as a temporary relief measure aimed at Ugandan nationals facing removal. It does not establish a new permanent asylum route.

What Is a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment?

Pre-Removal Risk Assessment, commonly known as PRRA, is a component of Canada’s immigration enforcement framework. It examines whether a person would face danger, torture, or risk to life if removed to their country of origin. The assessment operates separately from the asylum determination process and focuses on the conditions an individual would encounter upon return.

Where an asylum claim evaluates whether a person qualifies for refugee protection based on a well-founded fear of persecution, a PRRA asks a narrower question: would removal expose the individual to specific, identifiable risks? The two processes can reach different conclusions because they apply different legal tests and examine evidence through different lenses.

Understanding Final Negative Asylum Decisions

A final negative asylum decision means that a claimant has gone through Canada’s refugee determination system and been denied protection at every available stage. Once that determination becomes final, a removal order generally takes effect, and the individual becomes subject to deportation.

Under normal procedures, individuals with final negative decisions have limited avenues to challenge their removal. The reopening of the PRRA for Ugandan nationals creates an additional layer of review that would not typically be available, giving those within the eligible group another opportunity to present risk-related evidence.

Who Qualifies for the Reopened PRRA?

To qualify, an individual must be a Ugandan national or a former resident of Uganda. They must also have received their final negative asylum decision during the designated one-year period.

Both criteria must be met. A person who is not a Ugandan national or former resident cannot access the reopened assessment. A Ugandan national whose final negative decision falls outside the window is similarly excluded.

Individuals whose asylum cases are still pending or under appeal do not fall under the provision. The measure applies only to those whose claims have reached a final negative outcome, meaning all available review and appeal routes have been exhausted.

What Happens After the Assessment?

The reopened PRRA does not guarantee that eligible individuals will be allowed to remain in Canada. It provides them with an additional opportunity to have their case reviewed by immigration officers. If the assessment concludes that the individual would face genuine risk upon return, deportation could be deferred and protection may follow. If the risk is not established, the removal process would proceed.