A time-limited exemption from the 12-month PRRA bar

Effective September 29, IRCC added Israel and Palestine to the countries covered by an exemption from the 12-month bar on applying for a pre-removal risk assessment. The exemption applies to nationals whose most recent negative decision from the Immigration and Refugee Board, Federal Court or a previous PRRA was made from September 30, 2025 through September 29, 2026, inclusive.

A decision made after September 29, 2026 remains subject to the normal 12-month bar. The exemption removes that waiting-period restriction for the stated group; it does not by itself grant protection, cancel a removal order or guarantee a positive PRRA decision.

PRRA applications still follow the regular intake process

IRCC's intake instructions say that a person generally applies only after the Canada Border Services Agency confirms that they are entitled to do so and provides the application kit. A person who is removal-ready and notified in person normally has 15 days to submit the application and a further 15 days to provide written submissions.

Whether a removal is stayed depends on the timing and type of PRRA application. A late application, a subsequent PRRA and certain port-of-entry applications do not automatically create a regulatory stay, so affected people should obtain advice based on their own procedural history.

Three new Francophone recruitment projects

IRCC also added three projects to the Centre for Innovation in Francophone Immigration's funded-project list. Newfoundland and Labrador will build a recruitment corridor for Francophone and bilingual talent, with targeted international recruitment in education, health and preschool services.

In Saskatchewan, the Conseil économique et coopératif de la Saskatchewan will connect international Francophone talent with labour-market demand through pre-selection tools, recruitment missions, credential-recognition support and cultural-transition workshops. The listed employer sectors include agriculture, health, mining, energy, technology and hospitality.

Northern Ontario's Osez le Nord project will move from strategy development to implementation, promoting the region's professional, family and community opportunities to Francophone candidates. These initiatives support recruitment and settlement; they are not new immigration streams, nomination draws or automatic job offers.

What changed—and what did not

  • Potential PRRA applicants must check the date and type of their most recent IRB, Federal Court or PRRA decision.
  • The PRRA exemption is nationality- and decision-date-specific; people with decisions after September 29, 2026 remain subject to the 12-month bar.
  • The Francophone projects may create recruitment and employer-matching activities, but IRCC did not announce a new selection pathway or invitation round.
  • A separate September 29 update reorganized and clarified permanent-residence fee pages but did not announce a new fee amount; Ghasedak has therefore not treated it as a separate applicant-impact news item.
General information only

This article is not legal advice. Immigration rules and program instructions can change, and the result depends on the facts of each case.