Canada's immigration minister has ended a permanent residency exemption for refugees with undeclared family members . The exemption had enabled refugees to apply even when family members were omitted in their initial application.
The change cuts off that application method. It applies to applicants who omitted family details . This policy took immediate effect .
Separately, family sponsorship rules are changing in September 2026 . The new rules will take effect on that date.
Meanwhile, proof-of-citizenship applications have risen sharply. Estimated wait times for those applications are nearly three years . Processing delays continue to grow for applicants seeking Canadian citizenship.