Your family’s permanent resident visas were issued. Flights were booked. Then an airline refused to board them, and IRCC’s website said processing for people from their country had been suspended. They did nothing wrong. Their files were caught by a government order that applied to thousands of people at once.
The new power
Bill C-12, which became law in March 2026, gave the federal government authority to act on large groups of immigration documents and applications at once. When it considers it in the public interest, the government can cancel, suspend or change groups of immigration documents, pause intake of new applications, or cancel or suspend processing. The stated grounds include fraud, administrative errors, public health or safety, and national security.
These orders are published in the Canada Gazette and reported to Parliament. That publication is the government’s notice to the people affected.
The first order: Ebola-related suspensions
The first use of the power came in May 2026, in response to the Ebola outbreak. The order suspended processing of around 36,000 permanent residence applications from people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and South Sudan, along with visas and travel documents already issued. More than 30,000 of the suspended applications were in the protected persons category, which means many were families of people Canada had already found to need protection.
The order applied to people who listed one of those countries as their last country of residence. Documents already issued, including visas and electronic travel authorizations, were suspended, so holders could not board flights to Canada. IRCC continued to process applications but did not finalize them while the order was in force.
The order has been extended. At the time of writing, it is in force until November 27, 2026, after a 60-day extension announced on September 28, 2026. Check the current status before relying on any date.
The exemption
The order allowed the Minister to exempt a foreign national in urgent need of protection or on humanitarian and compassionate grounds. For families separated from a protected person in Canada, that exemption is the main tool available while an order is in force.
An exemption request should show, with evidence:
- Why the need is urgent. This could be risk to the family member where they are, a medical need, or a child’s situation.
- The humanitarian impact of continued separation, especially on children. Our post on H&C applications explains how these factors are weighed.
- That the public interest behind the order is not engaged. In a public health order, for example, that could include evidence that the person has not been in an affected area, or is willing to meet screening or quarantine requirements.
What an order does not do
A suspension is not a refusal. Suspended documents are generally reinstated when the order ends, and processing resumes. Do not withdraw an application or file a new one because of a suspension without advice. That can cost you your place and your fees.
Can an order be challenged?
Challenging a Cabinet order itself is difficult. The more practical route is usually to challenge how it was applied to you: whether you actually fall within it, or how an exemption request was decided. Decisions made by officers and the Minister in individual cases can generally be reviewed by the Federal Court for reasonableness and fairness. Our post on judicial review explains that process.
What to do if you are affected
- Confirm whether your file or document falls within the order’s terms.
- Keep the Canada Gazette notice and any IRCC communication.
- Gather evidence for an exemption request if the need is urgent.
- Keep your contact information current so you receive notice when processing resumes.
- If the order is extended repeatedly, speak with a lawyer about delay remedies once it ends.
How we can help
At Kabir & Alam, we assess whether a public interest order applies to a client’s file, prepare exemption requests for separated families, and challenge unreasonable decisions in the Federal Court. Read more about our family reunification and immigration litigation work, or book a consultation with us.
This post is general information about Canadian immigration law and is not legal advice. Every case turns on its own facts. Speak with a lawyer about your situation before making decisions.