Canada plans permanent work permit access for asylum seekers, i.e., the federal government has taken steps to make faster work permit access a permanent part of Canada’s asylum system.
The proposal comes through draft amendments to the Immigration & Refugee Protection Regulations, published in the Canada Gazette on June 19, 2026.
At present, asylum claimants can only qualify for a work permit after their claim has been referred to the Refugee Protection Division (RPD).
Under the proposed rules, asylum claimants could receive an open work permit much earlier. Applicants would become eligible once their claim has been found suitable for referral, even before the formal referral to the RPD takes place.
This earlier access to work permits has already been available through a temporary public policy introduced in November 2022. The policy was created to help asylum seekers support themselves financially while waiting for their refugee hearings.
The temporary policy remains active today. However, temporary public policies can be cancelled or changed at any time without advance notice.
By adding these measures to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, the government aims to make the change a lasting part of Canada’s immigration system.
Additional Changes Proposed For The Asylum System
The draft amendments include several other changes designed to improve and clarify the asylum process.
The proposed reforms include:
- making permanent the exemption to the one-year asylum ban for unaccompanied minors;
- allowing an asylum seeker to initiate the asylum claim process without needing to have submitted the complete set of required documents;
- giving claimants up to 60 days after their referral to the RPD to submit supporting documents, along with the ability to receive a 30-day extension upon request;
- requiring the Minister to consider a claim within 365 days after having received all required documents;
- specifying circumstances in which the Minister is required and/or allowed to designate a representative for an asylum claimant;
- specifying the responsibilities of designated representatives; and
- allowing the Minister to reinstate withdrawn asylum claims when justified.
These proposed measures are intended to provide more flexibility for claimants while also creating clearer rules for decision-makers and representatives involved in the process.
Public Consultation Period Underway
The proposed regulatory changes have been published for public review & comment.
The consultation period will be open for 30 days and is scheduled to end on July 20, 2026.
After reviewing feedback received during the consultation, the federal government may revise the proposed amendments before publishing the final version.
Once finalized, the new rules will take effect on the date specified in the official publication.
According to a government news release, officials expect the changes to be finalized and implemented later in 2026.
Changes Follow Recent Asylum Reforms
The proposed amendments come shortly after major changes to Canada’s asylum system introduced through Bill C-12 earlier this year.
That legislation made significant changes to how asylum claims are handled in Canada.
Among its key measures were a restriction on asylum claims filed more than one year after a person’s first entry into Canada and a separate restriction affecting certain irregular border crossers entering from the United States.
Bill C-12 received royal assent on March 26, 2026. However, both restrictions apply retroactively to claims made on or after June 3, 2025, which was the date when the legislation’s earlier version was first introduced in Parliament.
The one-year filing limit applies only to individuals who first entered Canada after June 24, 2020.
