Ottawa tells 30,000 asylum claimants they may not receive a hearing
Immigration officials say the “fairness letters” serve as a formal warning that their claims do not meet current standards.
Author: Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
The federal government is taking steps to curb the massive backlog of refugee and asylum hearings.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has begun issuing notices to approximately 30,000 refugee claimants, informing them that they may no longer qualify for a full asylum hearing under updated national laws.
The move follows the implementation of Bill C-12, a legislative effort designed to tighten eligibility and protect the integrity of Canada’s borders.
The backlog currently sits at nearly 300,000 pending refugee claims.
Immigration officials say the “fairness letters” serve as a formal warning that their claims do not meet the stricter standards required to proceed to the Immigration and Refugee Board.
While the letters are not immediate deportation orders, they provide a 21-day window for applicants to provide additional evidence or clarification regarding their status.
Many of those affected include individuals who lived in Canada previously but became ineligible after leaving and attempting to re-enter to reapply for status.
Some letters explicitly advise applicants to depart Canada voluntarily or face the risk of a formal deportation order.