Canada sends warning letters to asylum seekers. What is behind them?

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published April 9, 2026

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Canadian authorities have begun sending procedural warning letters to some asylum seekers after Bill C-12 became law, triggering concern among migrants and immigration lawyers. The letters do not amount to mass deportation orders on their own, but they can lead to some claims being ruled ineligible for referral to the Immigration and Refugee Board, which may later increase the risk of removal from Canada. A spokesperson for the immigration minister said about 30,000 people could be affected.

The change stems from new asylum eligibility rules that took effect when the law received royal assent on March 26, 2026. Under the new framework, a claim will not be referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board if it was made more than one year after a person’s first entry to Canada after June 24, 2020, or if the claimant entered from the United States between official ports of entry and filed the claim more than 14 days later. Ottawa says the rules apply to claims made on or after June 3, 2025.

The federal government says the measures are meant to reduce pressure on the asylum system, close loopholes and discourage people from using refugee claims as a substitute for regular immigration pathways. Critics argue the law weakens due-process protections because some affected claimants may be diverted to a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA) instead of receiving a full refugee hearing before an independent board. Reuters previously reported that this alternative route historically had lower approval rates than full refugee hearings, while the UN Human Rights Committee warned that Bill C-12 may weaken refugee protection and restrict access to fair procedures.

So the widely shared claim about “deportation warnings” is directionally true, but the more precise description is that Canada has started issuing procedural notices that could make some asylum claims ineligible, creating a pathway that may later lead to removal if other protection mechanisms fail.