On May 19, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) introduced a temporary policy exempting unaccompanied minors from the one-year ban on asylum claims. The ban, established under Bill C-12, made claims filed more than a year after entry ineligible for referral to the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) for individuals who arrived in Canada after June 24, 2020.
Under the new policy, children under 18 without a parent or legal guardian in Canada can have their claims processed even if filed late or after crossing the U.S.-Canada border irregularly. Delegated IRCC officers can now exempt these minors from the “one-year” and “14-day” rules, allowing their claims to go through the standard eligibility review and, if eligible, be referred to the IRB.
The exemption expands protections already granted under Canada’s Safe Third Country Agreement with the U.S. and applies only to refugee claims filed on or after May 19, 2026. Minors must still meet all other requirements under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).
This policy remains in effect until the Minister of Immigration revokes it, ensuring unaccompanied minors can navigate the asylum process despite lacking legal guardianship.
