Update on Bill C-12: Immigration Measures Advance Without Amendments, Introducing Key Restrictions on Asylum Claims

Update on Bill C-12: Immigration Measures Advance Without Amendments, Introducing Key Restrictions on Asylum Claims   As immigration lawyers dedicated to helping clients navigate Canada’s complex immigration system, we at Stewart Sharma Harsanyi are closely monitoring developments in federal legislation that could impact asylum seekers and other immigrants. On February 23, 2026, The Canadian Press

Consequences of Criminality on Immigration Status

Raj Sharma KC, an experienced immigration lawyer, delivered his annual presentation to Student Legal Assistance (SLA) on the intersection of criminal law and immigration law in Canada. He outlines the critical hierarchy of immigration statuses, details how different levels of criminality affect non-citizens, explains the post-conviction enforcement process, and provides practical advice for SLA caseworkers

Firm Founder Raj Sharma Discusses Stricter Immigration Policy and Developments on RedFM Calgary Punjabi Language Broadcast

January 23, 2026 Interview on RedFM Discussing Immigration Challenges

Analysis of Canadian Immigration System Challenges and Responses Raj Sharma, provides a comprehensive analysis of the Canadian immigration system’s critical challenges, including massive application backlogs, the rise of unauthorized “ghost consultants” using AI, and government policies aimed at reducing temporary resident populations. He further details the complexities of security-based inadmissibility findings, particularly for applicants with

January 12, 2026 RedFM Interview Discussing Current and Future Canadian Immigration Policy Trends

Analysis of Current and Future Canadian Immigration Policy Trends This discussion between Rishi Nagar, News Director of RedFM Calgary and Raj Sharma KC, immigration lawyer and partner at Stewart Sharma Harsanyi, provides a critical analysis of the Canadian immigration system, focusing on the challenges and evolution of the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP), the increasing

Legal Leadership Recognized

Congratulations to Faraz Bawa, KC! We at Stewart Sharma Harsanyi are thrilled and incredibly proud to announce that our esteemed colleague, Faraz Ul-Haque Bawa, has been appointed King’s Counsel (KC) by the Province of Alberta! This prestigious honour recognizes Faraz’s expertise, integrity, leadership, and dedication to the legal profession. As a partner specializing in Immigration

2025 in Review: A Year of Profound Shifts in Canada’s Immigration Landscape – and What Lies Ahead

The end of the year is a natural inflection point; looking back towards the year that was and looking forward to the year that is to come. After 20 years of practice in this area, it is clear that this past year was a significant one in terms of immigration developments. As 2025 draws to

Firm Founder Raj Sharma Discusses Restrictions and Changes to Foreign Worker Policy with Harjap Bhangal of the UK on RedFM Calgary Punjabi Language Broadcast

Navigating Deferral Requests and Stay Motions in Federal Court: Key Considerations for Facing Removal from Canada 

Navigating Deferral Requests and Stay Motions in Federal Court: Key Considerations for Facing Removal from Canada  As immigration practitioners, we often encounter clients facing the daunting reality of an enforceable removal order. In our book, Inadmissibility and Remedies, co-authored by myself (Raj Sharma KC) and Aris Daghighian, we dedicate significant attention to the mechanisms available to challenge or delay removal, particularly through

Navigating a Removal Order Appeal at Canada’s Immigration Appeal Division (IAD): A Client’s Guide

Facing a deportation order due to a criminal conviction can be one of the most stressful experiences for a permanent resident in Canada. In this blog post, we share a generalized overview of what clients can expect during an appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD), based on common scenarios involving serious criminality (e.g., a conviction

Extortion Crisis in BC: Suspects Claim Refugee Status And Questions Arise Over CBSA Actions

In the midst of a wave of extortion-related crimes plaguing British Columbia’s South Asian communities, a new development has sparked outrage and scrutiny over Canada’s immigration processes. Fifteen foreign nationals, identified as suspects by B.C.’s Extortion Task Force, have claimed refugee status after coming under investigation by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). This move has effectively paused

Navigating Spousal Sponsorship Appeals: Insights from the Immigration Appeal Division

In the world of Canadian immigration, spousal sponsorships represent one of the most personal and emotionally charged pathways to family reunification. It’s a devastating blow when a visa office refuses an application on the grounds that the marriage isn’t genuine. Fortunately, applicants have the right to appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) of the

Firm Founder Raj Sharma Discusses Increased Enforcement and Removals on RedFM Calgary Punjabi Language Broadcast

The Immigration Appeal Division or IAD an Important Safety Net

The Immigration Appeal Division or IAD handles a number of immigration appeals, including refusals of family class sponsorships (overseas) like shortfalls to minimum necessary income, residency appeals, and some removal order appeals by PRs (most often arising from misrepresentation or criminality). It is an important backstop and safety net for the loss of PR status

Case law update: Justice Zinn on misrepresentation and materiality

In Idelfonso v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2025 FC 392, Justice Zinn granted judicial review of an Immigration Division (ID) finding of misrepresentation under s. 40(1)(a) of the IRPA, setting aside a five-year exclusion order against a Brazilian foreign national who omitted resolved Canadian criminal charges (a conditional discharge for mischief, with assault charges stayed,

Canada’s 2025 Budget: Major Cuts to International Student Permits

The Liberal government’s newly tabled 2025 federal budget signals a significant pivot in Canada’s immigration strategy, with a sharp reduction in new international student permits set to reshape opportunities for global talent seeking education in the country.  Key Changes to International Student Permits To mix metaphors, what goes up has to come down; and the

The High Stakes of Misrepresentation in Canadian Immigration

Canada’s immigration system is built on trust. At its core lies a simple but powerful principle: tell the truth. Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), misrepresentation is one of the most serious grounds of inadmissibility. But what exactly does it mean to “misrepresent”? And why does it carry such severe consequences? The IRPA

Firm Founder Raj Sharma Discusses Alberta Driver’s Licenses to Include Citizenship Status on RedFM Calgary Punjabi Language Broadcast

The Withdrawal Gambit: When Withdrawing an Application Can Prevent a Misrepresentation Finding

Section 40 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) is one of the most severe inadmissibility provisions in Canadian immigration law. A misrepresentation finding not only results in refusal but imposes a five-year bar on re-applying and casts a long shadow over future dealings with IRCC. The Federal Court has consistently held that a

Correcting the Record: Dodging the Misrepresentation Bullet

Canadian immigration law treats misrepresentation harshly. Section 40(1)(a) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) provides that a foreign national or permanent resident is inadmissible for “directly or indirectly misrepresenting or withholding material facts … that induce or could induce an error in the administration of the Act.” A finding under this provision carries