Canada Asylum Claims Now Start Online With 60 Days to File: What Changes for Pakistanis in Canada
Canada's new asylum rules started on 3 November 2026: claims begin in the IRCC Portal and you get 60 days to file. What it means for Pakistanis in Canada.
Canada changed how asylum claims are made from inside the country on 3 November 2026. A claim now starts in the online IRCC Portal, then moves to an in-person appointment, and a claimant whose case is sent to the refugee board has 60 days to file the full application. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced the rules on 3 November and said they would be published in the Canada Gazette, Part II, on 4 November 2026.
This matters to Pakistanis already in Canada on a study permit, a work permit or a visitor visa, and to families in Pakistan who are being offered "asylum packages" by agents. The rules do not open a new route. They change the paperwork, the timelines and who is still eligible. We read the IRCC news release and its backgrounder on 4 November 2026, and everything below comes from those two pages.
Canada's new asylum rules took effect on 3 November 2026
The new regulations came into force on 3 November 2026 under the Strengthening Canada's Immigration System and Borders Act, known as Bill C-12, which became law on 26 March 2026. IRCC first published the draft in June 2026 and changed it after public comments.
IRCC lists six main changes. There is one online process for all claims made inside Canada. Government security and criminality checks now have time limits before a case goes to the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB), the independent tribunal that decides claims. There are clearer rules for withdrawn and abandoned claims. Vulnerable claimants get more support. Work permits for eligible claimants become a permanent part of the system. And there are written exceptions to the new ineligibility rules.
IRCC also gave numbers. From January to August 2026, asylum claims in Canada fell 52 per cent compared with the same months of 2025, and 68 per cent compared with 2024.
How an asylum claim is made now, step by step
An inland claim now begins online. The person answers questions in the IRCC Portal to show they intend to claim asylum. An officer then meets them in person to formally make the claim. If the claim is eligible to go to the IRB, the claimant has 60 days to send the full application and documents.
- Sign in to the IRCC Portal and answer the questions that record your intention to claim asylum.
- Attend the in-person appointment IRCC gives you, where an officer takes the formal claim.
- Wait for the eligibility decision. Security, criminality and admissibility checks now have a time limit.
- If the claim is found eligible for referral, submit the complete application and supporting documents within 60 days.
- If you need more time, ask for the one 30-day extension the rules allow.
- Once a complete claim is in, eligible claimants can receive a work permit.
A claim that sits inactive will not be sent to the IRB. The rules also set out when the minister can reinstate a withdrawn claim, so withdrawing is not a pause button.
What changes for Pakistanis already in Canada
The biggest point for Pakistani students, workers and visitors is timing. Bill C-12 brought in a one-year eligibility requirement, and IRCC's backgrounder says people who register through the online portal within their first year in Canada are excepted from it. Waiting carries real risk.
Many Pakistanis arrive on a study permit and only think about status near the end of a course. Under the new system, the date you record your intention online is the date that counts for that exception. IRCC's backgrounder does not list every detail of the ineligibility rules, so anyone near the one-year mark should read the official guidance or speak to an authorised representative before acting.
If your real aim is to stay longer as a student or visitor, there are normal routes for that. Our guides cover how to extend a Canada study permit and how to extend a visitor stay with a visitor record.
| Point | Rule from 3 November 2026 |
|---|---|
| How an inland claim starts | Online in the IRCC Portal, then an in-person appointment |
| Time to file the full claim after referral | 60 days, plus one 30-day extension on request |
| Government security checks | A time limit before referral to the IRB |
| Work permit | Made permanent, issued after a complete claim |
| Safe Third Country 14-day period | Counted from the online intention submission |
| One-year rule | Excepted if you register intention online within your first year |
Agents selling asylum packages are a bigger risk now
Canada also started fining fraudulent and unauthorised immigration representatives on 28 October 2026. IRCC says the fines are $5,000 for unauthorised paid advice and $15,000 for knowingly giving false information, up to $1.5 million in total for repeat violations.
That matters because Pakistani families are often sold a "visit visa then asylum" plan by agents in Pakistan. A claim built on a false story can be refused, and the person who filed it carries the consequences, not the agent. Our report on a Karachi Canada work visa scam shows how these offers are pitched.
Only three kinds of people can charge for Canadian immigration help: consultants licensed by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants, lawyers in a Canadian law society or the Chambre des notaires du Québec, and paralegals licensed in Ontario. IRCC's list of authorised representatives links to each registry.
What the new rules do not change
The rules change process, not the legal test for protection. A claim still has to show a real risk of persecution or serious harm, and the IRB still decides it. Nothing in the announcement creates a faster route to permanent residence or a new visa from Pakistan.
- You cannot start an inland claim from Pakistan. These rules cover people already in Canada.
- A visitor visa or study permit is not a way in for an asylum plan. Officers judge each case on its facts.
- Unaccompanied minors are excepted from the new ineligibility rules.
- Those subject to the Safe Third Country Agreement see no change in practice, IRCC says.
If you are in Canada and unsure of your status, check it first. Our guide to getting your GCMS notes explains how to see what IRCC has on your file.
Sources we checked
We read the IRCC news release "Canada modernizes the asylum system to support timely decisions" and its backgrounder, both dated 3 November 2026, and the IRCC release of 28 October 2026 on penalties for representatives. The full legal text appears in the Canada Gazette, Part II, on 4 November 2026. We could not read the full list of ineligibility exceptions, because the backgrounder does not set them all out.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Canada's new asylum claim process start?
The regulations came into force on 3 November 2026. IRCC said they would be published in the Canada Gazette, Part II, on 4 November 2026.
How many days do I have to submit a complete asylum application in Canada?
If your claim is found eligible for referral to the Immigration and Refugee Board, you have 60 days to submit the complete application and documents. You can ask for one 30-day extension.
Can a Pakistani student in Canada still claim asylum?
The rules apply to anyone in Canada, but timing matters. IRCC says people who register their intention online within their first year in Canada are excepted from the one-year eligibility requirement.
Do asylum claimants in Canada get a work permit?
Yes, eligible claimants can receive a work permit after submitting a complete claim. IRCC has made this approach permanent.
Can I apply for asylum in Canada from Pakistan?
No. The inland process covers people already in Canada. There is no application for Canadian asylum from inside Pakistan under these rules.
Who can legally charge me for help with a Canadian claim?
Only licensed immigration consultants, members of a Canadian law society or the Chambre des notaires du Québec, and Ontario-licensed paralegals. Paying anyone else can now lead to fines for that person and risk for your file.
About the author
Global Affairs & Political Economy Writer
Muhammad Hatim is a book lover who started writing because he enjoys it. At Pakistan Era he writes about international relations, geopolitics and the global economy, with a particular interest in South Asia and the forces behind current events.
