When CBSA notifies you that you may apply for a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment, you have 15 days to confirm your intention to apply and 15 more days to submit the complete application.
Filing a PRRA application does not automatically stop removal. If your removal date is scheduled or approaching, the PRRA and Federal Court stay strategy must be assessed from Day 1.
What a PRRA Is and What It Assesses
A Pre-Removal Risk Assessment is a formal process that allows a foreign national facing removal from Canada to request an assessment of the risks they would face if returned to their country of origin.
The assessment focuses on risk of persecution, torture, risk to life, or cruel and unusual treatment or punishment under sections 96 and 97 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
A PRRA is assessed by a PRRA officer, not an RPD Member. The standard is similar to, but not identical to, the Convention refugee standard. A PRRA officer considers evidence of risk that was not before the Refugee Protection Division, or evidence of changed country conditions since the RPD hearing.
A positive PRRA decision can stop removal and grant protected person status, which opens a pathway to permanent residence. A negative PRRA decision means removal may proceed, unless a Federal Court stay or another legal barrier is in place.
How We Can Help With Your PRRA
- We confirm your PRRA intention to CBSA within the 15-day window from the day you receive the notice.
- We build the complete PRRA application with country condition evidence, risk documentation, and supporting declarations.
- We assess the Federal Court stay strategy at the same time because PRRA alone does not automatically stop removal.
- We prepare PRRA applications after refused refugee claims by focusing on new evidence and changed country conditions.
- We assess whether PRRA and H&C applications should run as parallel independent pathways.
- Free urgent consultation. If removal is approaching, call before the CBSA notice arrives so the file can be prepared early.
The Federal Court Stay — Why It Must Be Assessed Immediately
A Federal Court stay of removal is an urgent application asking a Federal Court judge to prevent CBSA from removing someone while a PRRA or another immigration process is pending. It is not automatic. It must be filed separately.
The judge looks at three questions: whether the underlying application raises a serious issue, whether the person would suffer irreparable harm if removed, and whether the balance of convenience favors granting the stay.
Filing a PRRA without assessing the Federal Court stay position can leave you exposed. CBSA may continue removal steps before the PRRA is decided. Once you are removed from Canada, continuing any pending application becomes much harder.
When removal is active, Cambria Law Firm reviews both tracks immediately: the PRRA filing and the Federal Court stay strategy. They must be treated as parallel steps, not sequential ones.
Key PRRA Figures and Timelines — 2026
| Item | Timeline or Consequence |
|---|---|
| Confirm intention to apply after CBSA notice | 15 days |
| Submit complete PRRA application after confirmation | 15 more days |
| Total window from CBSA notice to submission | Approximately 30 days |
| Does PRRA filing automatically stay removal? | No — Federal Court stay may be required separately |
| Positive PRRA outcome | Protected person status and permanent residence pathway opens |
| Negative PRRA outcome | Removal may proceed unless another legal option is available |
Frequently Asked Questions
I already had a refugee claim refused. Can I still get a PRRA?
Yes. A PRRA may be available after a refused refugee claim, depending on timing and eligibility. But it is not a second chance to repeat the same evidence from the RPD hearing.
A PRRA must focus on new evidence of risk, evidence that was not reasonably available before, or changed country conditions since the RPD decision. Cambria Law Firm reviews the RPD decision and identifies whether the new evidence is strong enough to support a PRRA application.
What happens if both the PRRA and the Federal Court stay are denied?
If a Federal Court stay is denied, CBSA may proceed with removal. If the PRRA is also denied, removal may continue unless another legal option is available.
An H&C application may still provide a longer-term pathway in some cases, but it does not automatically stop imminent removal. That is why the PRRA and Federal Court stay strategy must be assessed together from the moment CBSA notice is received.
I have not received a CBSA removal notice yet, but I know removal is coming. Should I start preparing now?
Yes. Preparing before the notice arrives gives you more time to gather country condition evidence, risk documentation, and supporting declarations. Those documents are difficult to assemble properly under a 30-day deadline.
Call 416-840-7545 before the notice arrives. Cambria Law Firm can begin reviewing the risk evidence and preparing the PRRA file early.
