Canada gives second chance to asylum seekers from Uganda

Many individuals from Uganda who had faced imminent removal from Canada will be given a second chance at obtaining protected person status.

New measures announced on June 19 apply to Ugandan nationals and former residents of Uganda who received a final negative decision between June 20, 2025, and June 19, 2026, on one of the following:

• An asylum claim.
• A pre-removal risk assessment (PRRA) application.
• A Federal Court decision.

Qualifying individuals are now exempt from the typical 12-month ban on PRRA applications following such decisions, so they can apply for PRRAs immediately if they meet all other requirements.

A successful PRRA applicant is typically granted protected person status, allowing them to remain in Canada indefinitely and to apply for permanent residence (PR) under the Convention Refugees and Persons in Need of Protection class.

Those who are unsuccessful in their PRRA application are required to leave Canada, typically with no opportunity to stay the removal order.

The PRRA process serves as a last-resort mechanism for individuals in Canada to seek protection.

The new exemption was announced by the federal government via a news release on June 19, 2026, in response to “current political and social conditions in Uganda.”

The PRRA exemption has no relation to quarantine measures put in place in response to the Ebola outbreak, according to the government press release.

To apply for a PRRA, individuals must first be informed by the Canada Border Services Agency that they can do so. Those who receive the instruction can apply by following the federal government’s online guide.