Immigration
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December 11, 2025
Stewart McKelvey to admit 3 new partners in 2026
Stewart McKelvey will welcome three lawyers to the partnership effective Jan. 1, 2026, according to the Atlantic Canada-based firm.
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December 10, 2025
Canada designates four new terrorist organizations under the Criminal Code
In order to “counter terrorism and violent extremism, in particular the radicalization of young people online,” the federal government has added four new organizations to the Criminal Code list of terrorist entities.
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December 10, 2025
Acquiring Canadian citizenship by descent under Bill C-3
The Canadian government has taken the final steps to overhaul its citizenship by descent rules, officially passing Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2025). This landmark legislation restores Canadian status to thousands of individuals worldwide who were previously excluded by an unconstitutional restriction known as the “first-generation limit” (FGL).
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December 09, 2025
Federal Protecting Victims Act proposes wide-ranging & some contentious criminal law changes
The federal government has introduced a wide-ranging “Protecting Victims Act,” which proposes, among many things: the expansion of various offences and punishments; new restrictions impacting the current interpretation of the Charter rights of accused persons to speedy trials and to make full answer and defence in sexual assault and other prosecutions; the creation of a number of novel Criminal Code offences; and the effective “restoration” for future sentencing (via a new judicial discretion “safety valve”) of “all” unconstitutional Criminal Code mandatory minimum penalties (MMPs) that were struck down as cruel and unusual punishment by various courts.
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December 08, 2025
After statutory review of 18 groups listed as terrorist entities, Canada removes Syria’s HTS
In light of the political shifts in Syria’s governance following the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad dictatorship last December, Canada has removed Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from the list of terrorist entities in the Criminal Code.
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December 08, 2025
‘Simpler’ express entry pathway opening for foreign surgeons, family docs/GPs & clinical specialists
Ottawa says invitations to apply for a “simpler” express entry pathway to permanent residence will go out “in early 2026” to foreign doctors who have at least one year of Canadian work experience in an eligible occupation gained within the last three years.
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December 08, 2025
Quebec’s young lawyers are suffering psychological distress, report reveals
More than 60 per cent of Quebec lawyers with fewer than 10 years of experience suffer from psychological distress, a comprehensive study reveals, painting a disconcerting portrait of young lawyers overwhelmed by stress and struggling with the pressures of billable hours and long workweeks.
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December 08, 2025
Where and how you file a TN work permit application for Canadian professional matters
Many Canadians take for granted the ease with which they can apply for TN (Trade NAFTA) work authorization at a U.S. border or preclearance location. Generally, and for those who qualify, it is a quick and inexpensive way to obtain permission to work for a specific employer or U.S. clients of a Canadian business.
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December 08, 2025
The hidden mental health crisis facing Canada’s immigration lawyers
Over the past several years, the Canadian immigration system has been transformed by political volatility, rising refusal rates, increasing automation and a level of unpredictability unprecedented in modern practice. Policies change suddenly, pathways disappear without warning, caps are imposed overnight and entire programs fluctuate depending on the priorities of whichever minister happens to be in office that year.
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December 03, 2025
Federal judges ‘reluctantly’ take Carney gov’t to court in dispute over pay, judicial independence
In a pay dispute with Ottawa that raises questions about the requirements for judicial independence, the Canadian Superior Courts Judges Association (CSCJA) and the associate judges of the Federal Court separately filed Federal Court applications seeking judicial review of the Carney government’s recent refusal to implement the recommendations of an independent judicial pay commission, including its advice that a $28,000 salary boost (on top of mandatory annual indexing) is necessary to keep attracting outstanding lawyers to the federal benches.