In an announcement made on June 19, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said it was temporarily waiving the standard 12-month waiting period that normally bars unsuccessful asylum seekers from reapplying for a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA).
The move comes after Canada said it had been closely monitoring developments in Uganda and concluded that some individuals could face heightened risks if forced to return.
"Due to the evolving security and political situation in Uganda, including recent concerns about serious human rights violations, some Ugandan nationals and former residents of Uganda may face increased risks if required to return to the country," IRCC said.
The Canadian government clarified that the changes are linked to the current political and social conditions in Uganda and are not connected to immigration measures previously introduced to curb the spread of Ebola.
Under the new measures, Ugandan nationals and former residents of Uganda may now qualify to apply for a PRRA if, between June 20, 2025, and June 19, 2026, they received a final negative decision on an asylum claim from the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, a previous PRRA application, or a Federal Court decision related to their case.
A Pre-Removal Risk Assessment is an evaluation conducted to determine whether an individual would face persecution, torture or other forms of serious harm if deported from Canada.
Ordinarily, unsuccessful applicants must wait 12 months before becoming eligible to apply for another assessment. However, Canadian immigration laws allow authorities to suspend that waiting period when there is a sudden and significant deterioration in conditions within a person's country of origin.
However, IRCC maintained that eligibility to apply for a PRRA does not automatically guarantee permission to remain in Canada.
"IRCC officers will continue to decide on each case individually, based on the information provided," the agency said.
The department also urged applicants to keep their files updated and notify immigration authorities of any changes affecting their cases.
However, the policy does not apply universally. Individuals facing removal orders due to serious inadmissibility issues, or those previously excluded from refugee protection, may only qualify for a restricted PRRA process.
Canada also noted that Ugandans who receive a final negative immigration decision after June 19, 2026, will not benefit from the exemption and will remain subject to the standard 12-month waiting period.
According to IRCC, this is because recent developments in Uganda would already have been taken into account during the processing of their asylum claims or PRRA applications.
The decision marks a significant acknowledgement by Canada of the growing concerns surrounding Uganda's political and human rights landscape and could offer renewed hope to hundreds of Ugandans facing possible deportation.