Ontario, Canada: Immigration lawyer Ravi Jain cautions that Canada’s proposed Bill C-12 could enable large-scale visa cancellations, potentially impacting applicants from India and Bangladesh.
Canada’s federal authorities are reviewing a controversial proposal that could grant them sweeping powers to revoke temporary visas from applicants in entire countries. Immigration lawyer Ravi Jain, founder of Jain Immigration Law, has raised concerns that this move—outlined in Bill C-12, the Strengthening Canada’s Immigration System and Borders Act—would significantly alter the nation’s immigration landscape.
Jain explained in a blog post that the proposed legislation would let Ottawa suspend or cancel batches of temporary resident visas if officials determine it serves the national interest. He warned that this change would move Canada far beyond its traditional, case-by-case approach and could be used in situations unrelated to emergencies such as pandemics or armed conflicts.
Internal documents obtained by CBC News reveal that both Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) have been preparing examples of how this authority might be implemented for certain “country-specific visa holders.” According to those records, India and Bangladesh were mentioned as possible countries of concern.
The data cited show that asylum claims from Indian citizens have surged—from under 500 monthly in mid-2023 to around 2,000 per month by July 2024. During the same timeframe, the average processing time for Indian temporary resident visas increased from about 30 to 54 days.
Jain believes these figures are driving the policy rethink. “Officials appear to view the rise in asylum claims and processing delays as threats to system integrity,” he said. “But giving the government unchecked authority to void entire groups of visas could unfairly penalise genuine travellers.”
Under Bill C-12, tabled in Parliament on October 8, 2025, the Governor in Council would gain the right to “cancel, suspend, or modify” any document issued under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act if considered necessary for public interest. The proposal would also permit regulations to outline when such cancellations could occur and allow for termination of pending applications.
For Indian nationals, the potential consequences are serious. Canada’s study permit refusal rate for Indian students rose sharply—from 32% in August 2023 to 74% by August 2025. Jain warned that adding mass visa cancellation powers could “intensify uncertainty for applicants already facing record-level rejections.”
He advised applicants to prepare stronger documentation, submit their files early, and closely follow developments as the bill moves through Parliament. “If enacted,” Jain said, “this law would let the government revoke visas not because of individual behaviour, but due to group-based criteria. That represents a fundamental policy shift.”
