Canada law tightens asylum, borders
Bill C‑12 — a package of new immigration and asylum measures including strengthened border rules — has become law in Canada, marking a notable policy shift in Canadian asylum and border enforcement. The legislation aims to reshape how Canada manages arrivals and claims. (x.com)
Royal assent was granted on March 26, 2026, finalizing the Strengthening Canada’s Immigration System and Borders Act and attaching new asylum, information‑sharing and document‑authority measures to federal statute (canada.ca) Two new asylum ineligibility rules apply to claims made on or after June 3, 2025: claims filed more than one year after a claimant’s first entry into Canada after June 24, 2020 will not be referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board, and claims by people who entered between ports of entry on the Canada–US land border and file after 14 days likewise will not be referred. (canada.ca) Claimants affected by the new bars retain access to pre‑removal risk assessments (PRRAs), the Safe Third Country Agreement remains in force for port‑of‑entry and within‑14‑day entries to the Canada–US land border, and the IRB will only hear claims while a claimant is physically present in Canada. (canada.ca) The legislation grants the Governor in Council broad executive authorities to halt acceptance or processing of application streams and to cancel, suspend or vary immigration documents—powers flagged in the bill text and legislative summaries as applicable to work permits, study permits, visitor visas and permanent‑resident documentation. (parl.ca) Operational changes the government says will follow include routing only “schedule‑ready” claims to the IRB, treating voluntary returns before a decision as abandonment, removing inactive cases, simplifying online intake to cut duplicate questions, and making removal orders effective the same day a claim is withdrawn. (canada.ca) Senate proceedings approved two oversight amendments including a five‑year statutory review after royal assent, while some Senate and committee reports had recommended removing the immigration parts entirely before the final vote sent the bill back to the House for concurrence. (ipolitics.ca)
