Breaking: Canada's Senate Amends Major Immigration Reform Bill C-12

A key Canadian immigration reform bill – Bill C-12 – is in its third reading in the Senate and has just passed two notable amendments.

Amendment 1: Protecting Privacy

The Senate has passed a proposal by Senator Paulette Senior to protect the privacy of Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Under this amendment, these two groups will be exempt from the expanded personal information sharing provisions in the bill.
Previously, the bill allowed the Department of Immigration to share personal data with other government agencies.

Second amendment: Monitoring the rejection of late-filed asylum applications.

Another amendment requires the government to report on asylum applications deemed ineligible because they were filed more than one year after the applicant entered Canada.

Currently, the Senate is still debating the bill. The next session is scheduled for March 11, 2026, and senators may still propose further amendments.

If the bill passes on the third reading in the Senate, because amendments have been made, it will be sent back to the House of Representatives and must go through three more readings before it can become law.

The biggest immigration reform in over 20 years.

Bill C-12 is considered one of the biggest changes to the Canadian immigration system in over two decades.

If passed, the bill would grant the government powerful executive powers, including:

• Stop accepting new immigration applications.
• Temporarily suspend or terminate the processing of immigration applications.
• Cancel, modify, or suspend immigration documents such as PR cards, work permits, and study permits.
• Imposing conditions on temporary residents in Canada

These powers will be exercised by the Governor in Council (the federal government through the cabinet).

However, these rights can only be exercised when it is in the "public interest," including in cases such as:
• Administrative error
• Cheat
• Public health
• Public safety
• National security

Major changes to the asylum system.

Bill C-12 also proposes several reforms to the asylum system, including:

• Asylum applications submitted more than one year after entry into Canada will not be accepted.
• Refugee applications from individuals who entered the United States illegally will not be accepted.

The trend of expanding government power.

Bill C-12 follows another bill under Prime Minister Mark Carney's government – ​​Bill C-5 – which allowed the government to expedite the approval of "national interest" projects such as oil pipelines, mines, power plants, and railroads.

The bill is currently being debated in the Senate and may undergo further amendments before becoming law.