New regulations under Bill C-12 came into force on November 3, 2026, introducing significant changes to Canada’s asylum system.

The new rules establish one-year and 14-day eligibility restrictions that may prevent certain refugee claims from being referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB). Instead, affected claimants must pursue a pre-removal risk assessment, which is generally decided on written submissions.

In this legal update, Warda Shazadi Meighen examines the implications of these changes, including the constitutional requirements for a fair hearing, the importance of oral hearings when credibility is in question, and the principles established by the Supreme Court of Canada in *Singh v. Minister of Employment and Immigration*.

Read the full update to understand the new rules and the important questions they raise about procedural fairness and refugee protection in Canada.