COW – Redistribution/Relocation of Asylum Claimants – May 28, 2026
- Relocation is voluntary and requires consent. Claimants can live or move anywhere in Canada while their claim is processed.
- Through Interim Housing Assistance Program agreements with IRCC, Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick are supporting the voluntary relocation of asylum claimants.
- As part of these commitments, both provinces collaborated with IRCC to relocate claimants in support of the closure of all IRCC-managed hotels by October 1, 2025.
- Over 290 claimants have relocated to these provinces to date.
- By March 2027, Newfoundland and Labrador will welcome 290 claimants and New Brunswick will welcome 400.
- These efforts help ease regional pressures and connect claimants to housing, employment, and available supports.
- Receiving communities also benefit by addressing labour needs in some sectors.