Canada Offers New PRRA Chance to Israelis, Palestinians

The federal government has changed its pre-removal risk assessment rules for certain nationals and former residents of Israel and Palestine, allowing some people who previously received negative protection decisions to apply again.

The change took effect on September 29, 2026, and applies to eligible individuals who received a final negative decision between September 28, 2025, and September 29, 2026.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) confirmed that the exemption covers negative decisions on refugee claims, previous pre-removal risk assessments, and Federal Court decisions related to a person’s case.

What Has Changed?

A pre-removal risk assessment, or PRRA, examines whether a person would face serious risks if removed from Canada.

Normally, someone who receives a negative protection decision must wait 12 months before they may become eligible to apply for another PRRA.

IRCC can temporarily remove that waiting period when conditions in a person’s country of origin change suddenly and significantly.

Under the latest measure, eligible nationals and former residents of Israel and Palestine who received qualifying negative decisions during the specified period may now apply without waiting for the standard 12 months.

Who May Be Eligible?

The exemption can apply to people who received a final negative decision between September 28, 2025, and September 29, 2026, involving:

• a refugee claim decided by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada;
• an earlier PRRA application; or
• a Federal Court decision related to their case.

However, eligibility to apply does not mean an applicant will automatically receive protected-person status or permission to remain in Canada.

IRCC officers will continue to assess each application individually using the evidence submitted.

Decisions After September 29 Are Treated Differently

The exemption does not apply in the same way to nationals or former residents of Israel or Palestine who receive a final negative decision after September 29, 2026.

According to IRCC, those individuals remain subject to the regular 12-month waiting period because current conditions would already have been considered when their refugee claim or PRRA was assessed.

What a PRRA Can Do

A PRRA is generally available to certain people facing removal from Canada and assesses the danger they could face if returned to another country.

The assessment can consider risks including persecution, torture or other serious harm.

People subject to an enforceable removal order are generally informed by the Canada Border Services Agency when they are eligible to apply.

Some applicants facing removal for serious inadmissibility reasons, or people previously excluded from refugee protection, may qualify only for a restricted PRRA.

A successful PRRA can prevent an individual from being removed to a country where they have established that they face serious risks. In many cases, people recognized as protected persons may later apply for permanent residence in Canada.