The Government of Canada has released a detailed backgrounder on the Strong Borders Act, outlining proposed legislative changes aimed at strengthening border security, combating transnational crime, and modernizing immigration and asylum systems. A significant portion of the Bill focuses on improving the asylum claim system, with measures designed to increase efficiency, fairness, and integrity. Key proposed changes include:

• Simplifying the online application process and aligning procedures for claims made at ports of entry and inland IRCC offices.

• Faster referrals of complete claims to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) to speed up decisions.

• Ensuring claims are only decided while the claimant is physically present in Canada.

• Removing inactive cases to streamline the system.

• Making removal orders effective immediately when a claim is withdrawn, to accelerate voluntary departures.

• Assigning representatives for vulnerable claimants, including minors and individuals who need support navigating the process.

• Introducing new ineligibility rules for claims:

  • Claims made more than one year after arrival in Canada (after June 24, 2020) would not be referred to the IRB.

  • Claims made at irregular land border crossings from the U.S. after 14 days would also be ineligible.

  • Affected individuals may still apply for a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA) if facing potential harm upon return.

These changes aim to modernize Canada’s asylum system while maintaining fairness and protecting vulnerable individuals. For full details, the complete backgrounder is available on the Government of Canada’s website.