New asylum regulations took effect November 3 as Ottawa promised faster decisions through a single online application process and changes to screening and case management.

The overhaul implements parts of Bill C-12, which became law in March. Rebel News reported last week that cabinet approved the regulations on October 23.

The government’s earlier regulatory analysis put the inventory of undecided claims at nearly 300,000 at the end of 2025.

People starting claims inside Canada will first provide information online and then formally make their claim at an in-person appointment. The updated process removes duplicate questions and consolidates information previously collected across forms, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

Claimants eligible for referral to the Immigration and Refugee Board have 60 days to submit the complete application and documents. A single 30-day extension is available on request, the department says.

Security and integrity checks are also being moved ahead of referral for a hearing. IRCC says the aim is to identify fraud and other concerns earlier and keep incomplete files from adding to hearing delays.

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The Safe Third Country Agreement with the United States continues to apply. IRCC says the regulations clarify how that agreement operates under the new process, with no practical change for claimants subject to it and its Additional Protocol.

The updated process also provides earlier access to designated representatives for vulnerable claimants, including unaccompanied minors and people unable to understand the proceedings.

Separate deadlines apply to evidence filed with the board. Under transitional rules, personal evidence for claims referred from November 3 through January 3 is due 60 days after referral. For referrals from January 4, 2027, that period drops to 30 days.

IRCC says asylum claims fell 52 per cent from January to August 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, and 68 per cent compared with 2024.

The department says the regulations were first proposed in June. The final regulations are due to be published in the Canada Gazette, Part II, on November 4.