CIMM – B.3. Response - CIMM 8.3 – Unfavourable Recommendations – March 23, 2026

Question

Mr. Brad Redekopp: How many people did CBSA recommend be denied, only to be overruled by IRCC?

Mr. Aaron McCrorie: It happens. I couldn't tell you offhand what the number is, say, for this fiscal year. I think I indicated in my remarks that we had about 300 or 400 non-favourable recommendations, but there will be times when there are other considerations. For example, if there's only one person who can come in and fix a piece of machinery, there will be a national interest process that allows that person to come into the country.

Mr. Brad Redekopp: I see. If you could table that information with the committee, that would be very helpful.

Response

Security screening is a critical part of Canada’s immigration system which requires Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to review all information at its disposal before making a final determination on admissibility in line with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

IRCC receives recommendations from security screening partners such as the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, however these agencies do not render final decisions on visa applications. While IRCC takes partner recommendations into consideration, it also relies on additional information provided by applicants as well as responses received during interviews and/or additional documentation that may be received during processing of applications, as a part of the procedural fairness process. Responsibility for rendering a final decision on a visa application remains with IRCC, including final assessments and decision making on an applicant’s admissibility to Canada.

In addition, in instances where applicants are found to be inadmissible to Canada, mechanisms exist to overcome inadmissibility concerns and issue a visa where Canada has a legal obligation under domestic legislation or international agreements or where there are compelling reasons to do so, at the discretion of the delegated decision maker. In cases where an inadmissibility is overcome by a delegated decision maker, the rationale for providing an exemption from inadmissibility must clearly outweigh any potential risk to Canada and Canadian society.

(Between April 1, 2025 and August 31, 2025), IRCC has approved 35 applications where there was a non-favourable recommendation from CBSA.