They came to Canada for safety. Now they’re suspected of supporting the regime they fled

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-09-14 08:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Immigration, Public Safety, Justice]

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada issued Procedural Fairness Letters to hundreds of permanent residency applicants in August 2026, raising concerns over potential inadmissibility under paragraph 34(1)(f) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act due to past mandatory military service in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The IRGC was designated as a terrorist entity under Canada's Criminal Code in June 2024, prompting intense immigration scrutiny for former conscripts despite compulsory service requirements for all Iranian men over 18. Advocacy networks and immigration lawyers note that applicants face severe evidentiary burdens to prove they were not voluntary members or active participants following their mandatory service terms.