My application was refused. What can I do?
Direct answer: Most refusals have a remedy. Depending on the decision, your options include a reconsideration request, a corrected re-application, an appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD), or judicial review in Federal Court. The critical fact: deadlines run from 15 to 60 days, and only a licensed lawyer can represent you in Federal Court. Consultants cannot.
A refused SINP application, a denied sponsorship, a rejected work permit, or a removal order is serious, and the clock starts on the day of the decision. What matters now is choosing the right remedy fast, because filing the wrong one burns time you don't have.
Which remedy fits which refusal?
- Reconsideration request: best when the officer overlooked evidence already in the file. Fast, but discretionary.
- Re-application: right when the refusal reasons can be genuinely fixed with new evidence.
- IAD appeal: for refused family sponsorships, removal orders against permanent residents, and residency-obligation cases. The IAD can weigh humanitarian and compassionate factors that the original officer could not. Outcomes depend on the facts of each case.
- Judicial review in Federal Court: for most other refusals, including Express Entry, SINP-linked federal decisions, work and study permits, and visitor visas. The Court can set aside an unreasonable decision and order a fresh look at your file.
How does judicial review work?
We file for leave (permission) with the Federal Court, generally within 15 or 60 days of the decision depending on where it was made.
We obtain the officer's notes (GCMS), identify the legal errors, and file written argument showing the decision was unreasonable or unfair.
If leave is granted, the Court hears the case. A win sends your application back to be decided again, properly, and often on stronger terms we negotiate.
Facing removal or deportation?
Removal proceedings move quickly, and the earlier a lawyer is involved, the more options exist: challenging the inadmissibility report, IAD appeals for permanent residents, stay motions in Federal Court, and pre-removal risk assessments. If your removal stems from a criminal charge or conviction, our combined criminal-immigration practice is built for exactly that overlap.
Already removed from Canada? You may need an Authorization to Return to Canada (ARC) before any new application can succeed. We prepare ARC applications that confront the original removal honestly and make the case for your return.
Why a lawyer for appeals and judicial review
Judicial review in Federal Court is a remedy only a licensed lawyer can pursue for you; immigration consultants cannot appear in Federal Court. Our lawyers, Bhavan Jaggi and Satinder Pal Singh, represent clients before the IRB, the IAD and the courts as a core part of their practice.
Frequently asked questions
My application was refused. What can I do?
Depending on the decision: reconsideration, re-application, an IAD appeal, or judicial review in Federal Court. Deadlines run 15 to 60 days, so act immediately.
What is judicial review?
A Federal Court process that sets aside unreasonable or unfair IRCC decisions and sends them back for redetermination. Only lawyers can conduct it.
Can I appeal to the IAD?
The IAD hears refused sponsorships, removal orders against PRs and residency-obligation appeals, usually within 30 days of the decision.
What is an ARC?
An Authorization to Return to Canada, required after most deportations before you can come back. A strong ARC shows rehabilitation and compelling reasons to return.