Introduction

Introduction

The Government of Canada’s 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan continues the previous plan’s aim to reduce the number of temporary residents in Canada, including temporary workers and international students, as well as limit permanent residence based on refugee and humanitarian pathways. Major changes to the international student program including ending extensions of Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs), restricting eligibility for PGWPs going forward, and narrowing open work permit eligibility for spouses of international students and temporary workers have impacted the legal status of people already in Canada. Changes to processing of “low-wage” labour market impact assessments (LMIA) and capping intake in the new Home Care Worker immigration pilot further close-off these avenues for many workers already in Canada. In February 2025, border guards were granted explicit authority to revoke Electronic Travel Authorizations (ETAs), study permits and work permits and a Border Plan with major new investment in security and enforcement was announced. The Canadian government then introduced Bill C-2, the Strong Borders Act in June 2025 and Bill C-12, the Strengthening Canada’s Immigration System and Borders Act in October 2025. Proposed changes in Bill C-2 and C-12 would give the Minister power to cancel, change or suspend permits for entire groups of people without individual hearings or due process. Immigration would also have new powers to seek and share information about migrants with other Federal and Provincial agencies, and cut-off access to a refugee hearing for people who do not make their claim within one year of arriving in Canada (they may get a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment instead, which does not come with the same procedural protections). 

As a result, people living and working in Ontario may find themselves without status at the end of their temporary residence period, and with little options to renew their permits or gain permanent residence through refugee claims and economic migration pathways (although these avenues were closed to many working-class people even prior to these changes). Even if Bill C-2 and C-12 do not pass, there is a real fear that the government’s aim to reduce temporary residents, including an expectation that people voluntarily “depart” Canada, will lead to increased enforcement in the years to come. This guide is intended to provide legal information to help undocumented and non-status people (or people at risk of falling out-of-status) living in Ontario to understand options to regularize status and plan for border enforcement interactions. 

The guide provides legal information current up to December 12, 2025 only, and reproduces, updates and expands the information contained in the Migrants Know Your Rights! (2012, Immigration Legal Committee) and the Migrants Know Your Rights Facing Immigration Arrest, Detention and Deportation (2021, Butterfly and International Human Rights Program), both of which remain important sources of legal information and tools for organizing and safety planning. 

Please see Appendix A for a description of key terms and definitions used in this guide. 

This guide provides general legal information and not legal advice. It is important to get legal advice about your specific circumstances.

In addition to speaking to a lawyer or registered immigration consultant about your specific circumstances for legal advice, it is important to remember that relying on legal rights is limited as legal systems are set up to work against migrant people. Making connections with trusted community members and organizations to strategize beyond the law is important to fight back against displacement of families and communities through immigration enforcement.