Canada Faces 23,000 Deportations as Migrant Rights Rally Grows
Migrants and allies in eleven cities demand status protections as Canadian deportation figures rise sharply amid legislative changes.
Key points
- Deportations in Canada rose to 23,160 in 2025, with 14,897 recorded in the first eight months of 2026.
- Bill C-12 grants the government expanded powers to reject asylum claims and access migrant personal data.
- Work permit validity under the Low-Wage Program was reduced to one year, limiting spousal work authorization.
Migrants and their allies gathered in Ottawa and ten other Canadian cities on September 19 and 20 to demand an end to deportations and the restoration of work permits. The coordinated action, held just before Parliament reconvened, highlights a growing tension between labor needs and restrictive immigration policies.
Organizers argue that while migrant workers are deemed essential for healthcare and agriculture, they are increasingly being blamed for housing shortages and social strain. According to the Immigrant Workers Centre (IWC-CTI), this shift has left many in a state of precariousness despite years of contribution to the national economy.
Rising deportation figures signal policy shift
The momentum of the rallies coincides with a significant increase in forced removals. In 2025, 23,160 people were deported, a sharp rise from 17,397 in the previous year. By August 2026, that number had already reached 14,897, indicating a sustained and accelerating trend in enforcement.
This surge follows a reversal in government strategy. After initially announcing intentions to regularize the status of those who had lost it in 2022, authorities rejected those plans in 2024. The subsequent pivot toward mass deportations marks a decisive break from earlier regularization efforts.
Legislative changes tighten immigration controls
Recent legislative amendments, including Bill C-12, have expanded the government’s authority to reject asylum claims and access personal information of migrants. Provisions within these laws allow for the amendment or overturning of previous immigration decisions, reducing the legal stability for those seeking protection.
Simultaneously, restrictions on temporary labor have intensified. The validity of work permits under the Low-Wage Temporary Foreign Worker Program has been reduced to one year, and spousal work authorization for international students and workers has been largely eliminated. These measures have left many without clear pathways to permanent residence.
Activists cite fear and economic reliance
According to Aimee Beboso, Chairperson of Migrante Ottawa, many international students and workers now live in constant anxiety following recent enforcement actions in cities like Calgary and Montreal. She described the current reality as increasingly similar to the climate of fear observed in the United States.
Rose Fontep, coordinator of the Immigrant Workers Centre Outaouais, emphasized that governments often blame migrants for systemic failures in public policy. She noted that after recruiting workers to fill vacancies under poor conditions, authorities are now leaving them in uncertainty without providing adequate protections or status.
