Faced with a sharp rise in migration flows, the Canadian government announced a series of new immigration measures on Monday as part of Bill C-2.
The provisions aim to strengthen security along the Canada–U.S. border and make immigration and asylum systems more agile and responsive to current and emerging pressures, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
In a statement issued Tuesday, IRCC reaffirmed its commitment to “building a safer and fairer Canada” while restoring public confidence in a system long considered “a source of pride for Canadians and a driver of economic growth.”
Bill C-2 introduces several significant changes, including:
- Improved information-sharing between IRCC and its federal, provincial, and territorial partners to enhance case management and decision-making;
- Expanded intervention powers, including the authority to cancel, suspend or amend immigration documents, and to halt the intake of new applications when necessary;
- Modernized asylum processing, aimed at making the process more efficient, timely, and equitable;
- New inadmissibility rules designed to protect the asylum system from sudden surges in claims.
These changes come as Canada faces increasing pressure at its southern border. In its recent Speech from the Throne, the Carney government pledged to strike a balance between humanitarian commitments, national security, and administrative efficiency.
“We are enhancing security at the Canada–U.S. border and making our immigration and asylum systems more flexible and responsive to new and emerging pressures,” the IRCC statement said. The agency also underscored the new Prime Minister’s stated goal of “restoring Canadians’ trust in the immigration system by putting balance first.”
However, the IRCC did not provide further details on what “putting balance first” will entail.
Over the past four months, the number of migrants attempting to cross Canada’s northern border has spiked, driven in part by intensified deportation efforts by the Trump administration in the U.S. Many individuals seeking refuge in Canada have reportedly been turned away and handed back to American authorities.
According to IRCC, “the measures announced today in Bill C-2 aim to protect the integrity of our system while building a safer and fairer Canada.”
This announcement marks a significant shift in Canada’s immigration policy.
While the focus is on maintaining the integrity of the system, the measures are also intended to reduce processing delays, manage humanitarian crises more effectively, and prevent the overburdening of Canada’s asylum infrastructure, the IRCC added.
