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Emigration and immigration

Canada's Immigration System Under Fire: Sharp Rise in Visa Rejections Sparks Judicial Reviews

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Canada's immigration system is in crisis, with a sharp and unprecedented rise in visa and permit refusals across temporary entry categories. Immigrants and applicants are facing unfair rejections, leading to a surge in judicial reviews and reconsideration. The situation has been described as a "seismic shift" by experts, with many pointing to policy tightening and the expanded use of automated processing tools as the driving factors. The shift is evident in the numbers, with 278,900 fewer people arriving in Canada between January and August 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.

Key Takeaways:

  • A sharp increase in visa refusals across all temporary entry categories, including visitor visas, work permits, study permits, and Start-Up Visa work permits, has been confirmed by Canadian immigration lawyer Pushkar Prehar.
  • The overall refusal rate for temporary resident applications has soared to over 50% in recent periods, with regulated Canadian immigration consultant Kubeir Kamal noting that this is a significant increase from previous years.
  • Many refusal letters and Officer's Decision Notes (ODNs) now read like templates, with Kamal stating that they often contain generic phrasing without any meaningful reference to the applicant's unique circumstances.
  • The use of automated processing tools, such as Chinook, is a major driver of the change, with many experts pointing to policy tightening by Ottawa as another key factor.
  • For applicants facing unfair refusals, experts recommend obtaining documentation that reveals the officer's reasoning, including full Global Case Management System (GCMS) notes.
  • Reconsideration or judicial review are the typical paths forward, but Kamal warns that reconsideration often fails unless there is a clear legal or factual error.
  • The Federal Court is on pace to record 36,400 immigration filings in 2025, a massive increase from 7,782 in 2019, fueling a sharp rise in judicial reviews.
  • The surge in refusals is expected to continue, with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) set to publish its 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan soon, which is likely to further pressure temporary resident admissions.
  • Canadian immigration lawyer Pushkar Prehar notes that the trend underscores the growing need for judicial oversight in the face of erroneous decisions.

Statistics:

  • 278,900 fewer people arrived in Canada between January and August 2025 compared to the same period in 2024 (IRCC).
  • New study permit holders fell by 132,505 in the first eight months of 2025, a near 60% drop (IRCC).
  • New temporary foreign worker entries declined by 146,395 over the same span (IRCC).
  • The Federal Court is on pace to record 36,400 immigration filings in 2025, a massive increase from 7,782 in 2019 (Federal Court).
  • The overall refusal rate for temporary resident applications has soared to over 50% in recent periods (Kubeir Kamal).

Sources:

  • IRCC: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
  • Pushkar Prehar, Canadian immigration lawyer
  • Kubeir Kamal, regulated Canadian immigration consultant
  • Federal Court: The Federal Court of Canada

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