In a rare mid-East specific move, Canada has added both Israel and Palestine to its standing list of countries whose nationals can bypass the usual 12-month cooling-off period before requesting a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA). The exemption, published on 29 September and highlighted in IRCC operational bulletins on 3 October, covers people whose final negative immigration decision—by the IRB, Federal Court or a previous PRRA—fell between 28 September 2025 and 29 September 2026. Ordinarily, a refused refugee claimant must wait a full year before asking for a PRRA, a last-ditch review that can halt deportation if fresh risk evidence exists. By lifting the bar, Ottawa acknowledges that country conditions in both Israel and the Palestinian territories have “changed suddenly,” the statutory trigger for an exemption under section 112 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. The window is tightly defined: decisions after 29 September 2026 remain under the standard rule on the logic that more recent adjudications already factored in the new security situation. Eligibility does not guarantee protection; each case is decided on its merits, and applicants must still show personalised risk. For removal-ready cases now on CBSA’s docket, the exemption effectively pauses enforcement while a PRRA is considered. Employers and universities sponsoring affected individuals should ensure legal counsel files PRRA applications promptly, as removal orders may resume once a negative PRRA is issued. The measure underscores how quickly Canadian protection policy can pivot in response to geopolitical shifts—something global-mobility managers must track when relocating staff from volatile regions.
Source: IRCC.com
