Canada's immigration minister has removed a permanent residency exemption for refugees with family members not listed. The exemption had let refugees seek permanent status even when family members were omitted in their initial application.
The change eliminates that pathway to residency . It applies to refugees who did not declare family members . This policy was implemented straight away .
Separately, family sponsorship rules are set to be updated in late 2026 . The new rules will take effect at that time .
Meanwhile, proof-of-citizenship applications have surged . Estimated wait times for those applications are about three years long. Processing delays continue to grow for applicants seeking Canadian citizenship.