October 14, 2026
IRCC Clarifies Online Refugee Claim Application Transition Rules
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has clarified its upcoming changes to the online refugee claim application process, expected to take effect on November 3, 2026.
The update provides further clarification on how applicants’ information will be retained during the transition, particularly for claims made through the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
Claims made through CBSA: IRCC has confirmed that information collected by a CBSA officer will not be lost during the transition, even if the claimant has not linked their application to their IRCC Portal account by November 2, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Applications already submitted: Applicants who submitted their applications before the deadline generally will not need to provide new information unless requested by IRCC.
Applications started but not submitted: Applicants will need to complete the new Refugee Claim Application. Previously saved information will be retained, but they must review their responses and answer any new or unanswered questions.
Applicants should review their application status and follow IRCC’s updated instructions to understand how the changes may affect them.
Read the full updates here:
Making a claim at a POE to CBSA
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