Category: Enforcement and Appeal
The IRB resumes “pre-COVID” in-person hearings
Since early May 2020, the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) is transforming its operating model. The IRB revised its processes by: 1. deciding less complex refugee claims without a hearing; 2. allowing virtual hearings; and 3. adjusting in-person hearing practices based on public health policy. COVID-19 has had a significant impact on our operations, and has required us to rethink our processes, approaches and…
Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in Canada
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) started recently to implement new procedures to limit the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Canada. As part of the enhanced screening measures at air, land and marine port of entries (POE), CBSA officers give masks to ill voyagers and escort them through the POE. The individuals have…
New Canadian Exit Information System
The federal government is currently implementing a new Canadian exit information system to collect basic biographical data (full name, date of birth, gender, nationality, travel document type / number and issuing authority) from travellers leaving the country. Background Canada was the only member of the Five Eyes (an intelligence alliance consisting of the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, New Zealand and…
How to Take Charge of Your Medical Inadmissibility?
Mrs. Katharina Kontaxis, RCIC wrote a recent article on overcoming medical inadmissibility entitled “How to Take Charge of Your Medical Inadmissibility”, which was published at MyConsultant.ca on July 9, 2019. Overcoming Medical Inadmissibility Many medical conditions (e.g. mental illness, cancer, etc.) can lead to a visa refusal. One must convince the medical and immigration officers with a well researched, documented…
First Oral Roadside Test Approved – Impaired Driving Laws
Previously, Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould published a notice of intention to approve the first oral roadside test. The Dräger DrugTest 5000 (DDT 5000) is a saliva screening drug equipment for law enforcement. Oral Roadside Test Approval On August 27, 2018, the Canadian government approved the first oral roadside test to check for impairment caused by cannabis…
Impaired Driving Laws – Impact on Non-Canadians
Canada’s New Impaired Driving Bill and its Impact on Temporary Residents and Permanent Residents Definition Impaired driving is the criminal offence of operating a motor vehicle while being impaired by alcohol, a drug or both. Background On June 21, 2018, Bill C-46, the Impaired Driving Act, received Royal Assent. The bill will increase the penalties for impaired driving offences…
How to sponsor a sibling to Canada? – Lonely Canadian
Whether someone may sponsor one’s sibling depends on several criteria. For this article, I restrict the discussion to the “lonely Canadian” provision of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR). Traditional interpretation of paragraph 117(1)(h) IRPR If the sponsor does not have any living relative who could be sponsored and does not have any relative…