🇨🇦 Bill C-12 - Is it really the "bogeyman" that holds the power of life and death in the Canadian immigration system?

1️⃣ Background: From Rumor to Truth

In recent weeks, the community of people who are applying for or preparing to apply for immigration has been abuzz with sensational headlines:

• "Bill C-12 will erase thousands of immigration applications!"
• "The new law allows IRCC to cancel files at will!"

These opinions have even been expressed by some lawyers and immigration consultants. Therefore, it is essential and important for readers to verify information themselves in today's digital age.

Bill C-12 – the Canada Border and Immigration System Enhancement Act – will be presented to the House of Commons in March 2025.

As of October 2025, this bill is still in the First Reading stage, has not been passed by Congress, and has not yet come into effect ( Source: parl.ca/bill/C-12 ).

2️⃣ What is a C-12 bill?

A bill is not an "act of law," but rather a "draft law," a proposed document intended to amend, supplement, or enact one or more existing laws.

Terminology	When to use	The true meaning	Legal status
Bill	While still under consideration in Congress	A bill – a proposed document intended to amend, supplement, or enact a law.	❌ Not yet in effect
fast	Once the Bill was passed by the House of Representatives, the Senate, and received the Royal Assent.	Official law - legally binding	✅ Already in effect or about to take effect

Bill C-12's full title is: " An Act to Strengthen Canada's Immigration System and Borders."

Bill C-12 amends and supplements several existing laws, including:

• Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA)
• Customs Act
• Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act
• There are also other technical regulations related to borders and data.

Therefore, the purpose of Bill C-12 is to amend, supplement, and consolidate provisions scattered across existing laws, in order to:

• Increase the technical processing authority of immigration officers.
• Increase the ability to share data between agencies.
• Reduce overlapping and backlog of documents.
• The fundamental structure of the settlement system remains unchanged.

3️⃣ Analyze the key terms and conditions

Below is a complete, accurate bilingual presentation based on the official documents of the Canadian Parliament, with each section comprising:

1. The original text of the law (The Act - IRPA)
2. Proposed amendments to Bill C-12
3. Explain and clarify the misunderstandings that are circulating.

🇨🇦 PART	ORIGINAL LAW - IRPA (The Act)	BILL C-12'S PROPOSAL (AMENDED/SUPPLEMENTED)	RUMORS & FACT EXPLANATIONS
SECTION 14(2)	ENGLISH: 14 (2) The Minister may give instructions with respect to the processing of applications and requests, including instructions (a) establishing categories of foreign countries who may be issued visas or other documents; and (b) providing for the application of criteria or conditions set out in the instructions to those categories. VIETNAMESE: 14(2) Ministers may issue instructions relating to the processing of applications and requests, including: (a) establishing groups of foreign nationals who are granted visas or other documents; (b) Apply the criteria or conditions set forth in that guidance.	66 - Bill C-12 proposes adding clause (b.1): “(b.1) the circumstances in which an officer may terminate the processing of an application for a visa or other document.” Translation: (b.1) specific circumstances in which an officer may terminate the processing of a visa application or other document.	Rumor: Bill C-12 allows officials to arbitrarily cancel processing of files. In reality: The term "circumstances" is a legal term meaning "cases stipulated in regulations." Officials can only stop a case when it falls under circumstances such as fraud, lack of eligibility, or duplicate files. They do not have the authority to cancel cases in bulk.
SECTION 20 + 20.01 (new)	ENGLISH: 20 (1) Every foreign country who seeks to enter or remain in Canada must establish (a) to become a temporary resident, that they hold the visa or other required documents under the regulations and will leave Canada by the end of the authorized period; and (b) to become a permanent resident, that they hold the visa or other required documents and are not inadmissible. VIETNAMESE: Foreigners must prove they have a valid visa and are not prohibited from entering the country.	67 – Bill C-12 adds item 20.01: 20.01 (1) An officer may, in the prescribed circumstances, cancel, suspend or vary a visa or other document. (2) For greater certainty, subsection (1) does not affect any other lawful authority to cancel, suspend or vary a visa or other document. Translation: An official may – in prescribed circumstances – cancel, suspend, or modify a visa or document.	Rumor has it: IRCC will “delete all Start-Up Visa applications”. In fact: Article 20.01 only establishes the right to prosecute individuals in “prescribed circumstances”. This right already exists (IRPA §40, IRPR §221–222). There is no retroactive effect, no collective annulment.
SECTION 24(1)	ENGLISH: 24 (1) A foreign national who is inadmissible may become a temporary resident if an officer deems it justified and issues a temporary resident permit. The permit can be canceled at any time. VIETNAMESE: Temporary residence permits can be revoked at any time.	68 – Bill C-12: Only the French version is amended to clarify the phrase “titre annulable en tout temps”. The English content remains unchanged.	Rumor: Bill C-12 is changing the rules regarding Temporary Resident Permits. In reality: It's just a bilingual translation – the content remains the same.
SECTION 26(1)	ENGLISH: 26 (1) The Regulations may provide for any matter relating to the application of this Act, including: (a) the requirements and selection criteria that must be met by foreign countries; (b) the issuance, renewal and cancellation of visas and other documents. VIETNAMESE: 26(1) Regulations may prescribe the issuance, renewal and cancellation of visas.	69 – Additional Bill C-12: (b.01) the circumstances in which an officer may cancel, suspend or vary a visa or other document. Translation: (b.01) specific circumstances in which an officer may cancel, suspend or modify a visa or other document.	Rumor: Bill C-12 grants IRCC the power of life and death to arbitrarily delete files. In reality: This provision only requires the Minister to issue specific regulations (not arbitrary power). All decisions are subject to review by the Federal Court.

🧭 All sections 66 to 69 of Bill C-12 only formalize the inherent individual rights of officials; they do not open up a mechanism for "mass cancellation of applications." Articles claiming that "Bill C-12 allows IRCC to delete SUV applications or close immigration programs" are completely false. Canada maintains the principle of the Rule of Law: all decisions must be well-founded and may be reviewed by the Federal Court.

🧠 Conclusion: Understanding the true nature of legal texts leads to understanding how to act correctly.

Accurately interpreting and understanding legal texts is not only a skill for professionals, but also a foundation for everyone—from consultants to applicants—to see the true nature of the issue.

A legal document always has a clear meaning, scope, and target audience. If the reader misunderstands its nature or misinterprets its purpose, their actual actions will be misguided.

• Those who do the right thing have unwarranted fears.
• Those who make mistakes often don't know how to correct them.

In the field of immigration, this is particularly important. Bill C-12 is a prime example: Many people only read the heading "allows visa cancellation," without understanding that it is merely a technical addition to standardize the handling of specific cases – a right that has long existed within IRPA.

Understanding the document correctly helps both the consultant and the applicant enhance the authenticity of their application. Each type of immigration has its own way of proving authenticity:

Type of document	Methods for demonstrating and proving authenticity.
Entrepreneur Profile / Start-Up Visa	There is a real project, real activity , product, MVP, company account, R&D spending, contracts, and proof of interaction with the DO.
Labor records / C11 – C12	There are businesses in operation , contracts, transactions, employees, financial reports, not just paper companies.
Study abroad application	A consistent study plan (SOP), clear goals, and a school and major that match your abilities – no copying templates or mass-producing plans .
Marriage sponsorship application	There is proof of cohabitation, genuine communication, photos, and financial history – not "borrowing names" or entering into marriage for immigration purposes.

📢 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: RESPONSE TO INCORRECT CONTENT REGARDING THE C-12 BILL IN A RECENT ARTICLE

Content that is being spread/misunderstood	Analysis and response based on the official text of Bill C-12.
Bill C-12 is a new law that has come into effect.	❌ Incorrect. Bill C-12 is still a bill in the First Reading stage; it has not been passed and does not have legal effect.
Bill C-12 empowers IRCC to cancel large numbers of immigration applications , particularly in the Start-Up Visa program.	❌ There is no provision in Bill C-12 that allows “mass cancellation”. Sections 66 to 69 only provide for the right to cancel or suspend individual records “in prescribed circumstances ”.
Bill C-12 directly refers to the Start-Up Visa or incubators.	❌ Absolutely not. The entire Bill C-12 document makes no mention of Start-Up Visa, incubator, or MI72 . These inferences have no legal basis.
IRCC can retroactively delete pending cases.	❌ Incorrect. The bill is not retroactive . Cancellation or suspension only applies to applications that violate eligibility requirements at the time of review.
Bill C-12 changed the structure of Canada's immigration system.	❌ No. The bill only makes technical amendments to consolidate provisions in IRPA, Customs Act, and Proceeds of Crime Act; it does not create new programs or remove existing ones.
Bill C-12 revokes the applicant's right to appeal or review.	❌ False. Rights such as Judicial Review in the Federal Court remain unchanged; all IRCC decisions are still subject to court oversight.
Bill C-12 threatens the entire business immigration industry.	❌ No. The C-12 bill only enhances transparency, helping to filter out fraudulent applications or "phantom" businesses. Those submitting genuine applications and running legitimate projects benefit from a more transparent environment.

Conclude:

Bill C-12 is not a threat, but a reminder that the Canadian immigration system is becoming increasingly transparent and rigorous. At this time, the only way to be safe is to submit a genuine application, a genuine project, and genuine evidence. An honest application will not only pass the law – but will also be protected by law. 🇨🇦✨

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