C-213 (45-1) - An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (cessation of refugee protection)
Chamber
commons
Stage
1st Reading
Introduced
Jun 18, 2025
Progress
This bill would remove rules that strip permanent residents of their status when their refugee protection is cancelled.
Key Changes
- Repeals Section 40.1 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, which made permanent residents inadmissible based on cessation of refugee protection
- Repeals Paragraph 46(1)(c.1), which caused permanent residents to lose their status when their refugee protection was ceased
- Removes the automatic link between cessation of refugee protection and loss of permanent resident status
- Effectively gives former refugees who are permanent residents the same security of status as other permanent residents
Gotchas
- Cessation of refugee protection can occur when a refugee voluntarily re-avails themselves of their home country's protection, voluntarily returns to their home country, or when conditions in their home country have changed significantly — this bill does not change the cessation process itself, only its consequences for permanent residents.
- The bill does not prevent the government from still pursuing cessation of refugee protection; it only removes the automatic inadmissibility and loss of status that currently follows for permanent residents.
- Critics of repealing these provisions may argue it reduces accountability for refugees who no longer need protection but retain permanent resident status.
- This is a Private Member's Bill introduced by an opposition MP, meaning it faces a lower likelihood of passing without government support.
- The bill is narrow in scope, repealing only two specific provisions, and does not address cessation consequences for non-permanent residents or refugee claimants.
Who's Affected
- Permanent residents who originally came to Canada as refugees
- Individuals whose refugee protection has been or could be subject to cessation proceedings
- Immigration lawyers and advocates working with refugee claimants
- The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), which enforces inadmissibility rules
- The Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB), which handles cessation hearings
Vibes
0 responses
Gotchas
- Cessation of refugee protection can occur when a refugee voluntarily re-avails themselves of their home country's protection, voluntarily returns to their home country, or when conditions in their home country have changed significantly — this bill does not change the cessation process itself, only its consequences for permanent residents.
- The bill does not prevent the government from still pursuing cessation of refugee protection; it only removes the automatic inadmissibility and loss of status that currently follows for permanent residents.
- Critics of repealing these provisions may argue it reduces accountability for refugees who no longer need protection but retain permanent resident status.
- This is a Private Member's Bill introduced by an opposition MP, meaning it faces a lower likelihood of passing without government support.
- The bill is narrow in scope, repealing only two specific provisions, and does not address cessation consequences for non-permanent residents or refugee claimants.
Summary
Bill C-213 proposes to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act by repealing two specific provisions. Currently, if a permanent resident who originally came to Canada as a refugee has their refugee protection 'ceased' (cancelled), they can automatically be found inadmissible and lose their permanent resident status. This bill would remove those automatic consequences. The bill was introduced by NDP MP Jenny Kwan. It targets a situation where refugees who became permanent residents can lose that status if the government later determines their refugee protection should be stopped — for example, if conditions in their home country improved or if they voluntarily returned to their home country. Critics of the current law argue this creates an unfair two-tier system where refugees-turned-permanent-residents have less secure status than other permanent residents. If passed, permanent residents who originally came as refugees would no longer automatically face inadmissibility or loss of status solely because their refugee protection was ceased. They would have the same protections as other permanent residents in that regard.
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Vibes
0 responses