The government’s latest Order-in-Council provides now permits certain categories of individuals to make refugee claims at land borders with the U.S.
This comes after the Canadian government temporarily shut the US-Canadian border on March 20, 2020 to all individuals seeking to make refugee claims.
The new exemptions permit refugee claims at land ports of entry if they fall within the regulatory exemptions to the Safe Third Country Agreement in s. 159 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.
This means that certain individuals may once again be able to make refugee claims at the border, including:
– stateless persons;
– those with family members in Canada who are citizens, PRs or protected persons;
– unaccompanied minors;
– those sentenced to the death penalty.
Canada has further stated that irregular border crossers will be sent back to the U.S.
