Stewart Sharma Harsanyi Immigration Law Firm Blog

The Liberals (New) Plan on Immigration

With the election behind us, what lies in store for immigration policy? Here’s an overview of the Liberal Party’s immigration platform announced just a few days prior to one of the most consequential elections in memory. This plan and we can emphasize plan is one that touts sustainability, economic growth, and system efficiency, but much of it sounds aspirational. Remember the context: the Liberals’ need to confront challenges from their own policies since the pandemic, which fueled backlogs and strained resources. Sustainability and Economic Focus The Liberals aim to balance population growth with infrastructure, housing, and economic capacity: Reducing temporary workers and international students to under 5% of Canada’s population by 2027 (from 7.3%). • Stabilizing permanent resident admissions at less than 1% of the population annually, prioritizing economic growth, family reunification, and support for vulnerable groups like human rights defenders and refugees. • Revitalizing the Global Skills Strategy to attract high-skilled talent, including from the U.S., with—yet again—promises of streamlined foreign credential recognition to support Canadian businesses. On that last point, let’s be real: politicians have been promising credential recognition for decades, often with little tangible progress. System Efficiency and Enforcement The government pledges to improve the immigration process... Read more →

Justice Grant Grants a Stay

A recent decision granting a stay against removal will be of interest to practitioners in this field. Summary of Valle v. MCI, 2025 CanLII 37578 (FC) In Valle v. Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness (2025 CanLII 37578), decided on April 29, 2025, Justice Angus Grant of the Federal Court granted a stay of removal for Gary Martin Reyes Valle, a Mexican citizen facing deportation on April 30, 2025. The decision hinged on the application of the tripartite test for a stay of removal, as established in RJR-MacDonald and Toth: (1) a serious issue in the underlying judicial review, (2) irreparable harm if the stay is not granted, and (3) balance of convenience favoring the applicant. Justice Grant’s analysis was undoubtedly informed by his extensive background in immigration and refugee law, including his prior roles as a private practitioner, Legal Aid Ontario counsel, and Assistant Deputy Chairperson of the Refugee Appeal Division. Background and Context Gary Martin Reyes Valle entered Canada in 2017 and sought refugee protection in 2022, which was refused, as was his appeal. After failing to appear for a removal interview, a warrant was issued, and he was later apprehended in 2024 following a traffic stop.... Read more →