I recently joined Steven Meurrens, Deanna Okun-Nachoff, and Hannah Lindy on the Borderlines podcast (June 13, 2025) to discuss the Humanitarian and Compassionate (H&C) application under section 25(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). This discretionary remedy remains a cornerstone of Canada’s immigration framework, offering a lifeline to individuals who face barriers to
Steven Meurrens: All right. It is June 13th, 2025. We are here today with an all-star panel of H&C experts, Raj Sharma, who was supposed to be on a few weeks ago. We had the episode titled, but then he couldn’t make it, and I learned what happens when an episode airs with the title
Mastering Detention Review Hearings: Insights from the CBA National Immigration Conference The Canadian Bar Association’s National Immigration Conference was held this year (June 6-7) in beautiful Victoria, British Columbia. The first such conference I attended was about 20 years ago, and like every year, the immigration bar comes out in force to gather, network, renew
Spousal sponsorship appeals before the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) often turn on accusations of “bad faith” marriages, where the government questions whether a relationship is genuine or was entered into primarily to gain immigration status. These cases can be complex, placing the burden squarely on the appellant to prove, on a balance of probabilities, that
For those fortunate enough to have navigated either economic or non-economic pathways to permanent resident (PR) status in Canada, maintaining that status comes with certain responsibilities. One of the most critical is the residency obligation under Section 28 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). This requirement ensures PRs maintain a meaningful connection to
Stewart Sharma Harsanyi Immigration Lawyers · 2025 01 13 RedFM Interview I was interviewed on January 13, 2025 by Rishi Nagar, the inestimable news director of RedFM Calgary discussing the significant changes that the new year has already brought. The interview started by discussing the impact of the prorogued Parliament on immigration processing and policy.
Natasha Fatah Raj Sharma, who’s joining us from Calgary, he is the founder and managing partner of Stewart Sharma Harsanyi, one of Canada’s largest dedicated immigration law firms. Raj, thanks so much for making time for us. Raj Sharma KC: Thanks for having me. Natasha Fatah: Raj, I know you follow what’s happening in the
Another year is in the books (more or less). 2024 saw reductions in immigration levels, restrictions to both the international student and temporary foreign worker programs, and a dramatic decrease in public support for immigration fueled by housing costs, availability or lack thereof of public services and a strain on infrastructure. What lies ahead? The
There’s a remark attributed to Vladimir Lenin, “There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen,” likely referring to the Bolshevik revolution and other remarkable watershed moments near the end of the Great War; periods where change accelerates at an unprecedented pace. On some level the sentiment is applicable to the
Introduction In a notable shift, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has revised its approach to issuing visitor visas. As of the updates made public on November 6, 2024, the issuance of multiple-entry visitor visas is no longer an automatic process. If an officer was going to approve the default would be multi-entry and until the
Stewart Sharma Harsanyi Immigration Lawyers · 2024 10 07 RedFM Interview On CBSA Raids And Enforcement I was interviewed by RedFM news director Rishi Nagar on the recent reports about CBSA raids against employers and foreign workers engaging in unauthorized work. The interview is a Punjabi language broadcast and is above. By way of context,
Stewart Sharma Harsanyi Immigration Lawyers · 2024 10 25 RedFM Interview On Reduction In Immigration Intake I discussed the recent announcement by Immigration Minister Marc Miller regarding the reduction in immigration levels for permanent residents in Canada irecently on RedFM -it’s mostly in Punjabi and the audio is above but here’s some additional context: Reduction
The COVID-19 pandemic is essentially over and stringent travel restrictions and limitations on removal have been repealed; but that response by this country and others has underscored the ambit and flexibility of immigration laws, including enforcement powers. The repercussions and consequences of the pandemic will continue to reverberate. As an example, the initial shut down
Stewart Sharma Harsanyi Immigration Lawyers · 2024 09 16 CBC Interview Relocating Refugees Loren McGinnis: A row over a specific part of our immigration system. On one side you have Alberta Premier Danielle Smith saying We cannot handle an influx of asylum seekers moving to the province. On the other, you have federal immigration Minister
I joined my friends Steven Meurrens and Deanna Okun-Nachoff late August 2024 to discuss the spousal/common-law partner sponsorship process and some of the challenges including the interview and dealing with refusals based on genuineness/intent. A lot is at stake in such applications/appeals and it is important for those attempting to navigate it to understand the
Today’s hearing, where my client and I navigated the intense and often microscopic questioning from a member, was a reminder of the challenges refugee claimants face, even in cases that appear prima facie strong. My client, an LGBTQ+ individual fearing return to a repressive country, was subjected to a level of scrutiny that may have
Canadian immigration lawyer Raj Sharma KC interviewed in a Punjabi language broadcast for RedFM by News Director Rishi Nagar discussion immigration news and developments -August 8, 2024. Stewart Sharma Harsanyi Immigration Lawyers · 2024 08 08 RedFM Interview
Stewart Sharma Harsanyi Immigration Lawyers · 2024 05 27 Interview On RedFM Discussing Amnesty During my recent interview with Rishi Nagar, news director of RedFM, on May 27, 2024, conducted in Punjabi, we discussed the Trudeau government’s movement towards an amnesty to undocumented individuals in Canada. Their are arguments for and against the amnesty
Stewart Sharma Harsanyi Immigration Lawyers · 2024 05 15 Good Morning Calgary **Interview with Rishi Nagar: Insights on Immigration Trends and Challenges** I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by Rishi Nagar, News Director of RedFM Calgary. We discussed several pressing topics that were highlighted at the recent Canadian Bar Association (CBA) National Immigration
A number of Federal Court decisions have upheld visa refusals based on concerns that foreign nationals working and living in Saudi Arabia (even for decades) may not be able to establish ties there due to the policy of Saudization. Saudization, officially termed “Nitaqat,” implemented by Saudi Arabia and aims to increase the employment of Saudi
