A new immigration law in Canada has granted Ottawa the authority to revoke visas in bulk and establish time constraints on asylum applications to manage immigration levels effectively. The bill, passed on Thursday, has stirred concerns from various civil society organizations, such as Amnesty International, immigration lawyers, and public sector unions, who argue that it concentrates excessive power in the government’s hands and have pledged to oppose it.
Julia Sande, a legal expert specializing in migrant rights at Amnesty International Canada, criticized Bill C-12 for jeopardizing refugees and migrants’ rights by hindering fair assessments of refugee claims, potentially leading to deportations into unsafe conditions. She highlighted that the broad power to cancel visas without personalized evaluations disregards Canada’s international legal commitments.
Adam Sadinsky, from the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, labeled C-12 as the most significant regression in refugee rights in over ten years. He anticipated legal challenges on the legislation’s constitutionality and noted that refugee and immigration attorneys nationwide are contemplating potential legal actions.
The coalition, including various advocacy groups like the Canadian Council for Refugees and public sector unions, cautioned that the law restricts access to seeking refugee protection in Canada and facilitates widespread sharing of personal data. The legislation retroactively disqualifies around 19,000 refugee claims, excluding those who arrived in Canada over a year ago from filing applications with the Immigration and Refugee Board.
The government justified the necessity of mass visa cancellation powers by citing potential uncontrollable events like wars or pandemics and addressing fraudulent activities in visa applications from specific countries. The law imposes one-year limits on asylum claims, aligning Canada with similar practices in the European Union and the United States, aiming to streamline the immigration system while offering refuge to genuinely vulnerable individuals.
Despite opposition from some quarters, the bill received cross-party support and passed into law. The government emphasized that the new regulations uphold Canada’s commitments under international conventions and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, ensuring that decisions on mass cancellations require cabinet approval and disallowed refugee claimants retain the right to pre-removal risk assessments.
As the legislation advances, Conservatives called for a parliamentary inquiry into potential fraud within the international student program, following revelations of unexplored fraudulent cases. The government faces mounting pressure to address these concerns and uphold the integrity of Canada’s immigration system.
