Notice – Changes to the pre-removal risk assessment for Uganda
Ottawa, June 19, 2026—Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) monitors conditions that may affect people’s safety in other countries. Due to the evolving security and political situation in Uganda, including recent concerns about serious human rights violations, some Ugandan nationals and former residents of Uganda may face increased risks if required to return to the country. As a result, the Government of Canada is temporarily exempting some people from the usual waiting period to apply for a pre-removal risk assessment (PRRA).
These changes are the result of the current political and social conditions, and are unrelated to immigration measures aimed at stopping the Ebola outbreak.
Ugandan nationals and former residents of Uganda may now be eligible to apply for a PRRA if, between June 20, 2025, and June 19, 2026, they received a final negative decision on
- an asylum (refugee) claim from the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
- a previous PRRA application or
- a Federal Court decision related to their case
A PRRA is an assessment to determine whether someone would face risks such as persecution, torture or serious harm if removed from Canada. Normally, people must wait 12 months after receiving a negative decision before they can apply for a PRRA. However, IRCC can lift this waiting period when there’s a sudden and significant change in conditions in someone’s country of origin.
People must keep their PRRA application up to date and inform IRCC of any changes to their application. Being eligible to apply for a PRRA doesn’t guarantee that someone will be allowed to stay in Canada. IRCC officers will continue to decide on each case individually, based on the information provided. People who are subject to a removal order for reasons of serious inadmissibility or people who have been previously excluded from refugee protection may be eligible for only a restricted PRRA.
People from Uganda who receive a final negative decision after June 19, 2026, aren’t eligible to apply for a PRRA for 12 months because any recent changes in the situation in Uganda would have already been considered during their asylum claim or PRRA process.
