Question Period Note: Responding to Current Asylum Volumes

Although trending downward in 2025, in recent years, Canada has seen a significant rise in the number of individuals seeking protection in Canada. The Government continually reviews the In-Canada Asylum System to assess its ability to provide protection to those in need.

• The Government of Canada is introducing important reforms to strengthen migration integrity and modernize the asylum system.
• These measures are designed to make the asylum process faster so that claims are processed more effectively while continuing to uphold Canada’s commitment to protecting those in need.
We are protecting the integrity of the asylum system by introducing new ineligibilities.
This means we can provide faster protection for those in need while discouraging claims from those seeking to use the asylum system to extend their temporary stay in Canada.
Canada’s asylum system is not a shortcut to immigration.

Asylum claim volumes
• The In-Canada Asylum System has faced mounting pressures in recent years but has shown signs of contraction in 2025. The System received:
o 92,000 claims in 2022;
o 144,000 claims in 2023;
o 173,000 claims in 2024; and
o Close to 40,000 claims received so far in 2025 (37% drop compared to the claims received last year at the same date).
• Claims resulting from irregular mode of entry have decreased since Canada and the U.S. expanded the application of the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) in March 2023. The number of irregular arrivals into Canada has decreased significantly from 165/day in March 2023 to 12/day post-STCA-Additional Protocol (AP).
• Between January 1 and April 30, 2025, there were approximately 27,060 inland asylum claims filed across Canada, representing a 25% decline compared to the same period last year. Inland claims continue to account for the largest mode, accounting for 68% of the total 39,685 claims.
• Between January 1 and April 30, 2025, there were roughly 4,405 claims made at airports nationwide, reflecting a notable 76% decrease compared to the same period in 2024. Airport claims now constitute only 11% of total asylum applications.
• Between January 1 and April 30, 2025, there were an estimated 7,120 land border asylum claims across Canada, indicating an overall 30% increase versus the same period last year.

Facts and Figures (Asylum Claims by Mode 2022-2025)

Regular / Irregular Mode of Entry 2022 2023 2024 2025 (to April 30)
Regular Airport 17,135 41,330 42,625 4,405
Inland 27,350 69,565 111,270 27,060
Land Border 7,590 15,840 14,770 7,120
Marine 25 35 30 --
Regular - Total 52,100 126,770 168,700 38,585
Irregular Irregular 40,110 17,430 4,315 1,095
Irregular - Total 40,110 17,430 4,315 1,095
Overall - Total 92,210 144,200 173,010 39,685
Data source: Asylum Key Facts and Figures: April, 2025

• IRCC is working to combat the spread of misinformation and disinformation about Canada’s immigration system, and to highlight the risks of working with unauthorized representatives. Advertising campaigns have been deployed to combat mis/disinformation on irregular migration since 2018.

• IRCC continues to run an international campaign to provide facts to potential asylum seekers about claiming asylum in Canada through search engine marketing. As this is a global campaign, it is not specific to any country of origin, though it reached people in the U.S. who were searching for information online about Canada's asylum system. The campaign ran from December 2024 to March 31, 2025, and was renewed/launched in on May 12, 2025.

• IRCC is also introducing an Administrative Penalties and Consequences (APC) regime to deter violations by those providing paid immigration and citizenship advice and representation, including on asylum applications. Under the proposed rules, individuals who charge a fee for advice or representation without proper authorization, or who engage in misrepresentation, could face financial penalties and have their names made public. This initiative will strengthen the asylum application process by ensuring applicants receive accurate, legal guidance while reducing the risks of fraud and unauthorized representation.

Strengthening asylum integrity
• Bill C-2 proposes to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) to strengthen control over immigration documents. When in the public interest, these new authorities would allow IRCC to:
o cancel, suspend or change groups of immigration documents at once;
o pause the acceptance of new applications;
o pause the processing of applications already in the inventory;
o end the processing of applications already in inventory.

• Bill C-2 (Strong Borders Act) would also improve and modernize the asylum system by making it more efficient and easier for claimants to navigate. This initiative simplifies the online application process and standardizes it whether a claimant applies at a port of entry or at an in-land IRCC office, ensuring a more accessible system for all.
• These changes include referring only complete claims to the IRB to speed up decisions and removing inactive cases from the system, measures designed to reduce processing delays and improve overall efficiency.
• By making removal orders effective on the same day a claim is withdrawn, voluntary departures are accelerated. Additionally, vulnerable claimants—such as minors or those unfamiliar with the process—will be assigned representatives to support them during IRCC and CBSA proceedings.
• In order to counter sudden increases in claims, two ineligibility provisions are proposed:
o Asylum claims made more than one year after arriving in Canada after June 24, 2020, would not be eligible to be referred to the IRB. This would apply to anyone, including students and temporary residents, regardless of whether they left the country and returned.
o Asylum claims made 14 days or more after entering Canada from the US along the land border between official ports of entry would not be eligible to be referred to the IRB.
• Once in force (applicable to claims made after Tuesday, June 3, 2025), affected individuals may still apply for a pre-removal risk assessment (PRRA) to ensure they are not returned to a country where they could face harm.

• Future volumes are difficult to predict and are driven by a number of factors, including conflict, regional instability, or persecution. We cannot speculate on future trends.

• The Government has been taking steps to support interim housing of asylum claimants and to improve claimant processing, while maintaining the fairness and integrity of the asylum system.

On program integrity risks and temporary residents
• Actions under the Department’s strategy dramatically decreased illegal southbound migration into the US by 99% since June 2024. The strategy also resulted in promising reductions in the number of non-genuine visitors.
• IRCC continues to explore measures to enhance the efficiency and integrity of our immigration and asylum system so that it remains sustainable for years to come.

On recent land border volumes into Quebec
• Overall asylum volumes to Quebec are 38% lower than this period last year.
• We have not seen a sustained surge in asylum claims, to date; and individuals are arriving in an orderly manner at a port of entry, not crossing irregularly.