Borderlines

We are joined once again by Amandeep Hayer and Lisa Middlemiss, to discuss citizenship by descent post Bill C-3With thousands of people, particularly Americans, now exploring whether they qualify for Canadian citizenship through a distant ancestor, we discuss how the law works, how to prove eligibility, and the practical challenges involved.We also discuss the genealogy research often required to prove citizenship, archival birth records, IRCC processing issues, the interim measures, and the broader policy implications of expanding citizenship while immigration pathways tighten.03:01 Quick recap: who qualifies for Canadian citizenship by descent under the new framework08:27 The main challenge: proving ancestry and lineage13:33 Situations where someone may think they qualify but actually don’t (e.g., adoption issues)27:43 Can someone apply for a study permit or work permit if they might already be Canadian?Audience Questions:33:14 British subjects in Canada during WWII35:26 What happened to the interim citizenship measures from 202439:36 Do families need separate citizenship proof applications for each generation?46:06 Where to start if your Canadian ancestor was born in the 1800s48:26 Translation requirements for Quebec civil records Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do Canadians have the right to travel throughout the country? A discussion of the Supreme Court of Canada decision in Taylor v. Newfoundland and Labrador, 2026 SCC 5. Topics discussed include the decision, s. 6 of the Charter, whether Canadians and permanent residents have a right to travel between provinces, how section 1 of the Charter can justify limits on rights, provincial nominee programs and post-landing mobility, misrepresentation concerns when intended province of residence changes and Bill C-12. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this impromptu episode, we get a first person account of how one social justice advocate made the leap from journalist to Senator. The conversation is full of insight into the role that Senate plays in protecting the democratic process -- in particular around challenging legislation such as Bill C-12, which is approaching third reading. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former CBSA Chief Christian Lane explains how CBSA immigration investigations and deportations work in Canada.Topics discussed include CBSA investigative priorities, removals, organized crime investigations, misrepresentation, Bill C-12, refugee claims, intelligence work, the political pressure shaping immigration enforcement, whether immigration enforcement agencies sometimes pursue “low-hanging fruit” when removing individuals from Canada, and agency culture. Christian Lane hosts the Team 1080 podcast, which features interviews with professionals working in public safety, law enforcement, healthcare, and military roles.2:00 Immigration investigations 6:00 Enforcement priorities15:05 Extortion investigations 25:03 Discretion43:34 Why CBSA ranked last among federal agencies in employee satisfaction Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This epsiode offers insight into Professor Aiken's ongoing efforts to raise concern with Bill C-12 (the Stronger Borders legislation currently before Senate) -- both with the Canadian government, and with the UN Human Rights Committee. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This was originally intended to be a YouTube only episode but several podcast listeners asked that we add it to the audio-only feed as well. A break down the new Express Entry categories announced on February 18, 2026, with a particular focus on the senior managers with Canadian work experience category.Key topics include:Why this category generally does not help entrepreneurs or owner-operators.How IRCC assesses self-employment.What it really means to be a senior manager (NOC 00).Federal Court cases discussed on what constitutes "senior management" include Recursive Craft Inc. v. Canada (Employment and Social Development), 2022 FC 1206, and Merijohn v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2025 FC 1003. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As of November 2025, internal IRCC projections reveal a stark reality about Canada’s security screening system. Based on recent processing times by partner agencies and current inventory levels, permanent residence applications referred for comprehensive security screening are projected to take approximately 64.8 months to complete. For temporary residence applications, the projected timeline is 30.3 months.Lev Abramovich joins to break down what these projections actually mean and current issues with security screening. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Josh Dehaas, Interim Litigation Director at the Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF), joins to walk through the Federal Court of Appeal’s Emergencies Act decision, often referred to as the “Freedom Convoy” case.Topics discussed include what actually happened in Ottawa in early 2022, why existing laws were already available to address blockades, what it practically meant when the Emergencies Act was invoked nationwide, protest bands, the freezing of bank accounts and why public support for extraordinary measures can be durable.Guest: Josh Dehaas, Interim Litigation Director, Canadian Constitution FoundationCCF podcast: Not Reserving JudgmentChapters / timestamps4:38 – Setting the stage: COVID restrictions, mandates, and public frustration11:45 – Border blockades22:50 – What invoking the Emergencies Act meant nationwide29:28 – Was there a coherent convoy “message”?31:24 – Did it accelerate the end of restrictions? (Ontario vs. federal)35:32 – What this says about Canada, public opinion, and civil liberties40:09 – What the Federal Court / FCA held (speech, search/seizure, emergency threshold) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jonathan Leebosh is a recently retired partner and longtime leader of EY Law’s immigration practice in Vancouver.In this episode Jonathan reflects on a career that took him from refugee camps in Hong Kong with the UNHCR to building a corporate immigration practices inside a Big Four firm. Topics discussed include how EY Law scaled, serving multinational corporate clients, managing people, policy innovation, the growing role of national security in immigration decisions, processing delays, and advice for young lawyers and consultants hoping to move from individual files to corporate work.07:20 – Building EY Law’s corporate immigration practice16:30 – Managing people vs. practicing law24:00 – Policy innovation and lobbying41:30 – The state of Canadian immigration Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Canada is deliberately slowing, and possibly reversing, its population growth. But what does that actually mean for the economy?We are joined by economist Mikuel Scutterat for a wide-ranging and candid conversation about Canada’s immigration reset, GDP per capita, shrinking rental markets, Express Entry category draws, francophone targets, regional programs, and the political risks of a rapidly changing system, winners and losers when immigration rises or falls, why focusing on “essential workers” may be bad long-term policy and social cohesion. 03:06 – Does population size actually matter for prosperity?10:45 – Falling rents and distributional effects15:01 – Human capital vs labour shortages20:39 – Are French targets distorting outcomes?Listener Questions32:55 – Economics of mass regularization39:02 – Regional immigration targets 43:39 – Country caps48:57 – Underemployment Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this audio-only reunion episode, former Borderlines Podcast host Peter Edelman joins to discuss life on the British Columbia Court of Appeal. Topics discussed include how decisions get made and written, the role of counsel in shaping outcomes, pressures facing Canada’s judicial review system, judicial collegiality and dissenting reasons, immigration backlogs, adversarial justice, and the emotional weight of judging. 2:16 – Learning curve: trial court vs appellate court 6:31 – Does good lawyering really matter in judicial review? 19:28 – Precision in judgments & unintended interpretations 23:40 – Dissents, concurrences & shaping the law 27:17 – Should judges clarify controversial rulings later? 33:06 – Rethinking adversarial justice 49:06 – Is it easier to judge or be judged? 55:07 – Does being a judge change personal decision-making?https://youtu.be/nJ8kM4zJLdU?si=5L4nmGJz5eaKbXAm Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss possible immigration implications of Mark Carney’s recent speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Topics discussed include trade agreements, mobility rights, national security screening, CUSMA, and the growing tension between rule-based systems and political reality. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Canada is increasingly turning to immigration to address a growing healthcare shortage, but is the system actually built to absorb more doctors? Steven Meurrens and Deanna Okun-Nachoff are joined by Dr. Brian Day (orthopedic surgeon and past president of the Canadian Medical Association) to unpack how policy decisions created today’s physician and nursing shortages, why hospitals ration care under fixed budgets, and what that means for internationally trained doctors trying to build careers in Canada.Topics discussed include the decline of family medicine, ER overcrowding, delayed diagnosis and higher long-term costs, Canadians seeking faster care abroad, credential recognition, new pathways for physicians, medical inadmissibility and more.Follow Dr. Brian Day on X/Twitter: @drbriandayTimestamps02:53 — 1990s cuts 10:29 — “Rationing” healthcare 22:21 — Canadians going abroad for treatment28:10 — Immigration meets healthcare Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The first Borderlines episode of 2026 is our annual recap + predictions roundtable with Ottawa immigration lawyer Tamara Mosher-Kuczer. We look back at what actually happened in 2025, what surprised us most, and what 2026 might bring.Timestamps / Chapters0:52 Looking back: how many predictions were right last year?14:40 2026 predictions39:46 Listener question: What will happen with caregivers? 42:28 Listener prediction: Turning asylum into a temporary pathway46:11 Listener question: Trades vs. Francophones52:12 Listner question: LMIA exemptions / significant benefit work permits—any expansion?57:56 Will Canada's population increase or decrease in 2026? Subscribe for weekly immigration law breakdowns and policy updates, and tell us: What’s your boldest 2026 immigration prediction? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amandeep Hayer and Lisa Middlemiss, co-authors of the book Canadian Citizenship: What Practitioners Need to Know, discuss citizenship by descent now that Bill C-3 is in force. Topics discussed include what changed under Bill C-3, citizienship by descent, how far citizenship can be traced back, proving citizenship without provincial birth certificates, interim measures vs. proof of citizenship applications, processing times, urgent requests, Canadians without proof who can’t get work permits or SINs, why adoptees may still be treated differently, fraud concerns, and how many Americans may now be Canadian citizens. We also answer live listener questions and comments, including whether Canada will now have to many new Canadians, a possible TR → PR pathway, work permit options for foreign doctors, slow processing times, Bill C-12 and Canadian immigration law predictions for 2026. Amandeep's blog post on Bill C-3 can be found here - https://hayerlawoffice.ca/2025/11/03/no-bill-c-3-does-not-create-a-new-second-generation/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We return to Afghanistan, and to the unfinished work Canada left behind.Following our recent conversation with retired Canadian Forces member Cory Moore, we are joined by three guests from Aman Lara, a Canadian registered charity working on refugee extraction, resettlement and protection.Jon Feltham, Executive Director of Aman Lara and retired Canadian Armed Forces memberJulia Aitken, Program & Communications Director at Aman LaraDenis Thompson, Major-General (Ret’d), former commander of NATO Task Force KandaharWe examine Canada’s response to Afghans who worked alongside Canadian and NATO forces, through the lens of recent Federal Court decisions that highlight how many individuals were left behind after the fall of Kabul in 2021.We discuss:The reality faced by Afghan interpreters, contractors, and families still in hidingHow Canada’s approach relied on “process without a plan”The bureaucratic gaps between DND, Global Affairs, and IRCCHow veterans became de facto evacuation coordinators during the 2021 crisisHow Ukraine’s uncapped emergency program contrasted so sharply with AfghanistanWhat Aman Lara has accomplished (over 7,000 evacuations and 5,800 resettlements) and why the work is far from over🔗 Aman Lara is a registered Canadian charity.If you’re looking for a meaningful way to support refugee protection and resettlement efforts, we’ve included a donation link here - https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/130744🎧 Subscribe for in-depth conversations on Canadian immigration law, policy, and the human consequences behind the headlines. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steven and Deanna break down the rapidly shifting landscape of Canadian study permits amid IRCC’s newly released 2026 international student caps. With approval rates falling sharply in 2024–2025 and IRCC committing to fixed national intake numbers, study permits are now effectively being graded on a curve, making strong applications more critical than ever.We discuss the most common refusal grounds they see in practice, including:▸ Weak or incoherent study plansWhy study plans are now a top refusal ground, what officers look for, how jurisprudence has evolved, and what applicants must show to demonstrate a logical academic and career trajectory—even for minors.▸ Dual intent, PGWP confusion, and long-term plansHow to candidly discuss the possibility of a PGWP without triggering a refusal, and how applicants can articulate return-home benefits while acknowledging genuine motivations.▸ Financial sufficiency and unexplained depositsWhy bank statements are scrutinized more heavily than ever, how to document source-of-funds properly, and why even technical checklist omissions can sink an otherwise strong application.▸ Family ties and home-country incentivesHow IRCC evaluates “significant family ties” in and outside Canada, and why applicants should proactively explain their home-country obligations to address concerns about leaving Canada at the end of their stay.▸ Underdocumented travel history and other overlooked factorsSimple omissions that lead to refusals—such as failing to include exit/entry stamps, prior visas, or proof of assets.Whether you are an international student, an immigration professional, or someone following Canadian immigration reform, this episode offers practical guidance on how to build a more compelling study permit application in a challenging and tightening system. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Civil litigator Eoin Logan joins to break down three cases involving lawsuits both by and against immigration representatives. The cases are Sibbal v Nathyal, 2025 ABCJ 198, Roshy Skincare Clinic Inc. v Vrossis Investment Group Inc., 2025 BCSC 1769 and ICGC Immigration Consultants Group Canada Inc. v. Metro Painting Ltd., 2025 BCCRT 1466. Topics discussed include entering into immigration fraud schemes and suing when it falls apart, contractual illegality, negligent and fraudulent misrepresentation, contractual illegality, punitive damages and the duty of honesty in professional services, what happens when someone can’t enter Canada to attend their own civil trial and whether professional regulation in Canada actually protects immigrants. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steven and Deanna dive deep into the most common reasons IRCC refuses Express Entry applications, with a focus on what visa officers determine to be insufficient reference letters. 1:00 – Correction from last episode: OINP Skilled Trades “draw” was actually a mass cancellation. Thoughts on this and Bill C-12. 10:00 – Express Entry refusals. NOC lead statements + main duties, employers not listing job duties, duties don’t match the NOC, blended NOCs. 17:00 – Should employers include percentage breakdown of duties?26:00 – Why verbs like “assist,” “support,” “help,” or “maintain” are dangerous27:12 – Procedural fairness: when IRCC must NOT contact youLive Questions. 31:10 – Will CEC draws exceed 1,000 ITAs in 2025?32:49 – Will Bill C-12 cancel Start-Up Visa and non-priority org files?36:50 – Is IRCC looking for any reason to refuse?37:45 – Will I get refused if my reference letter only lists 40 hours per week?38:34 – Could Bill C-12 cancel existing PRs?39:26 – Could TR-PR cover SUV applicants in 2026–27?40:05 – Why are immigrants treated like clients of a company?41:00 – Is foreign experience locked at ITA or EAPR?42:10 – My CRS is 449 with French. Will I get an ITA in 2025?42:56 – What if my employer refuses to list job duties?43:15 – Will there be more education category draws? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Canada’s new 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan is here, and it’s a lot more confusing than media headlines suggest.This episode unpacks how the Carney government has quietly layered “one-time initiatives” on top of the official levels plan, including a massive cohort of protected persons and in-Canada temporary residents transitioning to permanent residence, and why the oft-repeated topline of 380,000 PRs is misleading once you add those extra streams.Topics discussed also include shrinking the temporary resident share of the population, the quiet rollback of francophone immigration targets, cuts to IRCC’s budget, and the rule-of-law issues when the same legal criteria suddenly produce totally different outcomes and higher refusal rates.We also answer live listener questions on CEC, work experience across multiple NOCs, why there aren't many ITAs, the H-1B pathway, and more. 5:05 – The “math’s not mathing”: topline 380,000 vs extra 140,000 PRs19:00 – Temporary resident caps, extensions, and the missing data27:26 – Francophone targets quietly reduced & what that signals33:06 – Massive rebound of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) in 202636:06 – H&C: 1,100 admissions and a 50-year backlog37:35 – Budget cuts, IRCC HR reductions & shift to automation43:04 – Potential new categories: researchers, senior managers, allied military44:49 – Listener Q&A: is there hope for CEC? TR→PR vs CEC draws48:02 – Are CEC ITAs being stalled to protect processing time stats?49:16 – CEC work experience across multiple NOCs & “primary NOC” confusion51:00 – Can wrong NOC coding sink an otherwise solid CEC application? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.