If you are fleeing your country because you fear persecution or risk to your life, you can apply for asylum in Canada. If you are granted asylum, you will receive refugee status and the right to stay. To apply for asylum, you must be physically present in Canada or be seeking entry into the country at a point of entry (airport, land border or seaport).
🚨Important: Changes to Canada’s Asylum System 🚨
On 26 March 2026, Canada made some changes to its asylum system.
These changes may affect how your case will be processed if you made your asylum claim on or after 3 June 2025 and:
– You arrived in Canada after 24 June 2020 and made your claim more than 1 year later, or
– You crossed the Canada–U.S. border irregularly and claimed asylum after 14 days.
More details are available on the “How to Apply for Asylum” Page.
On this website, you will find:
- How to apply for asylum in Canada?
- Important Safety Information
- Resources for asylum seekers across Canada
- Rights and duties of asylum seekers and refugees in Canada
- Family reunification
- Refugee resettlement to Canada
- Private sponsorship of refugees
- Economic immigration of skilled refugees
- Anti-Fraud
- About UNHCR in Canada
The information contained here is to be used as a guide and is not legal advice. If you have any questions, please seek legal assistance.
Fraud alert: Individuals are falsely displaying UNHCR Canada’s phone number (613-232-0909) to offer resettlement in exchange for money. These persons are fraudsters and do not represent UNHCR. UNHCR services are always free.