A refugee claimant was handed a reprieve on his removal from Canada because of an angry blow-up between his lawyer and the immigration judge, a feud betraying such animosity the Federal Court ruled the bewildered client could not have expected an unbiased hearing. The decision raises the spectre of the “automatic disqualification” of judges to […]

Ottawa, June 20, 2012 — The Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, introduced legislation today to expedite the removal of foreign criminals from Canada and to enhance the safety and security of Canadians. The Harper Government is putting a stop to foreign criminals relying on endless appeals in order to delay their […]

Ottawa, June 20, 2012 — Canada’s plan to welcome up to 500 more Bhutanese refugees was unveiled today by Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, as World Refugee Day is celebrated around the world. “In May 2007, the government committed to resettling up to 5,000 Bhutanese refugees who had been living for nearly […]

What is a Humanitarian and Compassionate Application? Immigration terminology is often arcane and complicated and no more so than when I was asked whether I was able to do an “agency” application for a client.  After some further questioning I realized that my client had misheard the term “H&C” which when spoken quickly sounds much […]

Question: How long do I have to apply for Permanent Residency after the acceptance of my refugee claim? Answer: Under the current legislation a successful refugee claimant is required to apply for permanent residency status within 180 days of the Board’s positive determination.  Immigration’s own materials indicate that the 180 day clock begins when the […]