Bill C-12: Canada to Change Immigration and Border Laws

If approved, Bill C-12 would bring critical updates to Canada’s immigration, border control, and crime prevention systems. The government of Canada states that the goal is to revisit and update operations so Canada can better address today’s challenges.

The Government of Canada is currently examining Bill C-12, known as the “Strengthening Canada’s Immigration System and Borders Act”. The proposed bill was moved to committee after its second reading on October 23, 2025, for closer study and discussion.

Potential Impact on Immigration Applicants

One part of the Bill C-12 is the expanded authority for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This means that if the bill is passed, the Minister of Immigration will have the authoritative power to pause or cancel applications in progress, including those under certain programs like the Start-Up Visa. According to the Government of Canada, this new authoritative power will help manage heavy caseloads or may be required to respond to urgent situations.

While applicants could still ask for reconsideration, file for judicial review, or reapply if their application is paused or cancelled, there would be no refund for applications that are cancelled.

Main Objectives of Bill C-12

1. Efficient Immigration Processing

The bill proposes a new digital submission platform to simplify how immigration and asylum applications are handled. Only approved and fully completed applications would move forward to the Immigration and Refugee Board, which the government says will cut wait times and reduce system backlogs.

2. Strengthened Border Enforcement

Under the proposed changes, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) would receive stronger enforcement tools and additional resources. The CBSA would also gain authority to inspect outgoing goods, part of an effort to prevent illegal substances, such as fentanyl, from being imported or shipped out of Canada.

3. Strengthened Measures Against Financial and Organized Crime

Bill C-12 seeks to tighten rules around money laundering and financial misconduct by raising fines and penalties, in some cases up to 40x higher than the current limits, as well as allowing Canada’s financial intelligence unit (FINTRAC), to share more information with federal authorities and adding its director to the Financial Institutions Supervisory Committee to improve communication between the two.

4. Prioritizing Active and Legitimate Immigration Cases

If Bill C-12 is passed, it would allow for removal of inactive or abandoned immigration cases, ensuring decision-makers focus on only the qualified applicants.

What’s Next

Bill C-12 is now undergoing committee review, where Members of Parliament will examine the legislation, suggest amendments, and discuss its details in depth before it returns to the House of Commons for a final vote.

If passed, the act would represent one of the biggest updates to Canada’s immigration and border rules in many years aiming to create a process that is faster, more transparent, and better equipped to address today’s challenges while maintaining Canada’s reputation of welcoming newcomers into the country.

We will continue to monitor the situation and report back when an advancement or a final vote has taken place.