Weekly Digest | December 7, 2025

Key Highlights:

Recent Case Law

Post-Graduate Work Permit – Chahal v. Canada, 2025 FC 1910: The officer found the applicant did not maintain full-time status after withdrawing from a Summer 2020 course, leaving only 3 credits. Although the officer misstated the session date, the record showed he remained ineligible. The error did not affect the reasoning or outcome, and the arguments raised did not displace the conclusion. Judicial review dismissed. Read more

Temporary Resident Visa – Amirsoleymani v. Canada, 2025 FC 1874: The officer refused the TRV for insufficient family ties and concerns with the purpose of travel but failed to grapple with significant evidence supporting temporary intent, including long-term employment, caregiving duties for both parents, medical documentation, property ownership, and fixed return commitments. These pull factors were not addressed against the officer’s conclusions. Judicial review granted. Read more

Spouse in Canada Class – Alufa v. Canada, 2025 FC 1919: The officer found weak documentation of cohabitation and multiple interview inconsistencies, including conflicting answers about finances, proposal timing, employment, shared assets, religious attendance, recent contact with the applicant’s children, and the couple’s inability to state each other’s phone numbers. A CBSA report also indicated the applicant did not reside at the claimed address. Explanations to procedural fairness letters were not accepted. Allegations of undisclosed officer contact with a former spouse were unsupported. Judicial review dismissed. Read more

Wildfire Measures – December 1, 2025: Special processing measures for persons affected by the 2025 wildfires expired on November 30, 2025. Applications received after this date are not eligible. Read more

Citizenship Accommodations – December 2, 2025: Updated instructions outline how IRCC provides accessibility accommodations for citizenship applicants, including for tests, knowledge and language hearings, ceremonies, interpreters, accompanying persons, applicants unable to act on their own behalf, guardianship, and the taking of affidavits or declarations. Read more

H&C – Guardianship and Kafala – December 4, 2025: New instructions introduced to guide officers in assessing guardianship and Kafala arrangements under humanitarian and compassionate considerations. Read more

Work Permit Conditions – Change of Employment – December 4, 2025: Updated instructions reflect a temporary public policy (in effect since May 27, 2025) that exempts temporary workers from certain work permit conditions when changing employers. Read more

Permanent Resident Program – December 4, 2025: Updated instructions on permanent resident status and related lines of business, replacing the previous content on the Connexion PDI page. Read more

IMP – T11 Non-Trade Agreements – December 4, 2025: Updated instructions include revised language and updated links for Canada’s international non-trade agreement work permit provisions under R204(a) – T11. Read more

Hong Kong – Optional OWP for PR Pathway – December 5, 2025: Updated instructions reflect a change to the ORG ID used for the Hong Kong public policy open work permit for applicants in the permanent residence pathway. Read more

Manitoba – Temporary PNP Support Letter Policy – December 4, 2025: Manitoba will accept applications for Support Letters under the temporary public policy for prospective Provincial Nominee Program candidates until December 15, 2025. IRCC will continue accepting applications under this temporary policy until December 31, 2025. Read more

Ontario – Proposed OINP Redesign – December 2, 2025: Ontario released a regulatory proposal to consolidate the OINP into four streamlined pathways. Phase 1 would merge the current Employer Job Offer streams into a single stream with TEER 0–3 and TEER 4–5 tracks, each with revised wage, work experience, language, and education criteria. Phase 2 proposes three new streams: a priority healthcare stream (no job offer required for registered professionals), an entrepreneur stream for applicants operating or purchasing Ontario businesses, and an exceptional talent stream for high-achieving individuals in academia, science, innovation, and other fields. The Ministry is seeking public feedback on the redesign and on the new Employer Portal, with comments due by January 1, 2026. Read more

Canada Gazette – Qatar Visa Lift – December 3, 2025: Amendments to the IRPR add Qatar to the list of visa-exempt countries, allowing Qatari citizens to travel to Canada by air with an eTA instead of a TRV. Read more

December 29, 2025: Consultations close on proposed IRPR amendments for international air transit, including new “designated holding area” rules. Read more

December 31, 2025: Ministerial Instructions setting the 2025 study permit intake cap and attestation letter requirements expire. Read more

December 31, 2025: Yukon’s temporary measure for foreign nationals to obtain support letters for Yukon-specific work permits expires. Read more

December 31, 2025: Public policy allowing open work permits for foreign workers with provincial or territorial support letters (including Manitoba PNP) expires. Read more and Read more

December 31, 2025: Temporary pause on private refugee sponsorship applications from Groups of Five and Community Sponsors under the PSR Program ends. Read more and Read more

December 31, 2025: Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) extension ends. Read more and Read more

December 31, 2025: Public policy allowing open work permits for foreign nationals in Provincial Nominee Program expression of interest pools expires. Read more