The Federal Court of Canada recently ruled that a study permit refusal was procedurally unfair when an immigration officer failed to question an applicant about credibility concerns. An IRCC officer rejected a study permit because they doubted the family relationship between the applicant and her brother, who provided financial support. The officer did not give the applicant a chance to address this specific doubt before making a final decision. Justice Tsimberis found that t

The Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association (CILA) outlined four critical interventions to reform the newly enacted Bill C-12. Association members argue that the Strengthening Canada’s Immigration System and Borders Act pushes vulnerable individuals into an unstable legal limbo. To resolve these systemic issues, the group proposes that Parliament clearly define the public interest to eliminate arbitrary ministerial discretion. Legal experts also demand that authorities resto

The Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association (CILA) published an opinion piece proposing a major system redesign. The CILA argues that growing application backlogs require Canada to consider using artificial intelligence to make initial immigration and refugee decisions. Under this proposed model, AI would generate initial reasoned outcomes for high-volume, rule-bound applications like study permits and citizenship grants. Human adjudicators and judges would remain at the bac

The Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association (CILA) has issued a formal letter to Immigration Minister Lena M. Diab, expressing grave concerns over the "piecemeal" release of details regarding the upcoming Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident (TR to PR) Program. CILA reports that significant program signals are reaching the public through social media interviews and commercial platforms before official IRCC channels. This information gap has led to widespread anxiety amon

The Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association (CILA) has sent an open letter to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, highlighting systemic failures in the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process. Representing over 540 lawyers, CILA argues that the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) has shifted toward a culture of refusal, where officers apply subjective criteria and unpublished benchmarks to deny applications. Key issues identi

On March 12, 2026, the Federal Court ordered expedited reconsideration of a visitor visa application after four rounds of judicial review. Indian parents Subash Kumar and Rashmi sought to visit their children, who were studying in Canada, but faced repeated refusals despite strong financial ties and a travel history. The case was taken pro bono after multiple settlements failed to resolve the issue. Justice Grant found the visa officer's decision unreasonable for ignoring ev

A Quebec-based resort is facing serious legal consequences after a lengthy investigation by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). Authorities laid charges on February 26 at the Granby courthouse against company directors and an employee for hiring 21 foreign workers without proper authorization. The violations allegedly took place between May 2022 and April 2024. The investigation began in December 2022 following a public tip, and a search in September 2024 yielded suffi

President Trump's decision to halt asylum claims has intensified calls for Canada to suspend the Safe Third Country Agreement, with legal experts warning the pact may no longer be valid. Immigration lawyers argue the U.S. has abandoned its obligation under the UN Refugee Convention, eliminating the agreement's foundation. While some specialists caution that suspension could trigger an influx of asylum seekers—potentially millions currently in the U.S.—others insist Canada fa

Conservatives are set to introduce legislation this fall aimed at eliminating judicial leniency for non-citizens convicted of serious...

The Federal Court of Canada has announced a strategic enhancement to its immigration judicial review process. Effective May 14, 2025, the...