Canada Enacts Stricter Visa and Asylum Rules Under Bill C-12
Canada's new Bill C-12 allows the government to pause visa processing, cancel previously issued documents, and set firm deadlines for asylum claims, changes that could affect Pakistani workers, students, and applicants for permanent residency.
Canada has approved sweeping changes to its immigration and border security framework under Bill C-12, legislation formally titled the Strengthening Canada's Immigration System and Borders Act, introducing tighter rules across visa processing, permanent residency, and asylum claims. Details of the reforms were circulated through Pakistan's Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment, which flagged the potential impact on foreign workers, international students, permanent residency applicants, and refugees.
Under the new law, Ottawa can temporarily suspend the acceptance or processing of applications for work permits, study permits, temporary resident visas, electronic travel authorizations (eTAs), and permanent residency on public interest grounds. Immigration authorities have also been granted legal powers to suspend or cancel visas and immigration documents already issued where concerns arise over national security, fraud, or the integrity of the immigration system.
The legislation sets stricter eligibility criteria and deadlines for asylum seekers. People who entered Canada after June 24, 2020, must file their claims within one year of arrival, and applications submitted after that window may be ruled ineligible for referral to the Immigration and Refugee Board. Those entering through unofficial land border crossings from the United States must apply for asylum within 14 days, with late submissions also at risk of not being referred to the board.
Additional provisions allow claims to be treated as abandoned or withdrawn if applicants return to their home countries, skip required immigration interviews, or fail to supply requested documents. The law further permits Canadian government departments and agencies to share applicants' personal information, including passport details and immigration status, in order to detect suspected fraud, misrepresentation, and misuse of the immigration system.
Taken together, the reforms expand government oversight of Canada's immigration and refugee process and introduce stricter conditions for people seeking entry or protection. For Pakistani applicants eyeing Canadian study, work, or settlement pathways, the changes underscore the importance of meeting documentation requirements and filing deadlines, since missed timelines or incomplete paperwork could now carry heavier consequences.
The measures come as Canada recalibrates its immigration intake amid pressure on housing and public services, a shift that could shape outcomes for thousands of applicants from Pakistan and other countries who rely on Canadian visa and asylum routes.
