Notice

Removal of the Temporary Suspension of Removals exception under the Safe Third Country Agreement

On July 23, 2009, the exception clause in the Safe Third Country Agreement that allowed people from countries under a temporary suspension of removals (TSR) to make a refugee claim in Canada at a Canada-U.S. land border, was removed.

This means that unless they qualify for another exception under the Safe Third Country Agreement, nationals from countries under a TSR (Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Iraq and Zimbabwe) arriving at a Canada-U.S. land border will be ineligible to make a refugee claim in Canada.

They would instead need to apply for protection in the United States.

People already in Canada or arriving at a port of entry that is not a land border with the United States will not be affected by this measure and will continue to have access to Canada’s asylum system.

Find out more.