COW – Safe Third Country Agreement – May 28, 2026
- The Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) helps Canada and the United States (U.S.) manage asylum claims in an orderly way along our shared border.
- In most cases, people must seek asylum in the first safe country they enter.
- The agreement supports border integrity and Canada's international obligations.
Irregular Crossings
- Canada has not seen significant surges in northbound irregular crossings.
- Recent increases in land border claims at the Lacolle, Quebec, port of entry were limited and effectively managed.
- Crossing irregularly does not provide easier access to Canada's asylum system.
- People who cross irregularly and claim asylum within 14 days are returned to the U.S. under the STCA, unless they meet an exemption or exception.
- Under new rules, claims made 14 days or more after irregular entry aren't referred to the IRB.
Monitoring the U.S. as a safe third country
- We use a robust framework to continuously monitor U.S. developments and their impact on their refugee protection system.
- At this time, the U.S. remains the only country designated as a safe third country.
- We can't speculate on future policy decisions, and we don't comment on internal U.S. government measures.