Canada Introduces New Cancellation Rules for Visitor Visas, eTAs, Work Permits & Study Permits

Kritika Pandey

Updated On Nov 6, 2025

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Canada Introduces New Cancellation Rules for Visitor Visas, eTAs, Work Permits & Study Permits

On November 4, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) introduced new rules on the cancellation of visitor visas, electronic travel authorizations (eTAs), work permits, and study permits.

These updates give IRCC officers explicit authority to cancel temporary resident documents when the holder no longer meets eligibility or admissibility criteria or violates conditions, making the process more transparent and predictable.

The changes also outline clearer ground rules for when an existing immigration document that was once valid can be revoked.

Visitor Visa (Temporary Resident Visa - TRV) Cancellation

Visa officers now have clear grounds to cancel TRVs under sections 180.1 and 180.2 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.

Discretionary Grounds include:

The visa was issued due to an administrative error by an IRCC officer.
The person becomes criminally or medically inadmissible after the visa was issued.
The individual did not meet or no longer meets one or more eligibility requirements (e.g., loss of a supporting job).
The officer has reasonable grounds to believe the visitor will not depart Canada by the end of their authorized stay.
The person is subsequently refused an eTA, work permit, study permit, or another TRV.

Automatic Cancellations occur if the holder:

Becomes a permanent resident.
Loses, destroys, or abandons the passport used for issuance.
Passes away.

Also Read: Canada Immigration Levels Plan 2026-28 Coming in November 2025; Targets Likely to Rise

Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) Cancellation

Under sections 12.07 and 12.08, officers can cancel eTAs for reasons including becoming inadmissible due to new criminal charges, becoming ineligible (such as losing a valid passport status), or administrative errors.

Discretionary Grounds include:

The traveller becomes inadmissible (e.g., due to a new criminal record).
The traveller becomes ineligible (e.g., no longer holding a valid passport from a visa-exempt country).
The eTA was issued due to an administrative error.

Automatic Cancellations occur if the holder:

Becomes a permanent resident of Canada.
Loses, destroys, or abandons the passport associated with the eTA.
Dies.

Study Permit Cancellation

Study permits can now be cancelled explicitly under IRPR sections 222.7 and 222.8 for administrative errors, such as permits issued mistakenly due to missing documents or ineligibility.

Discretionary Ground:

Cancellation can occur if IRCC determines the permit was issued by administrative error (e.g., overlooking missing acceptance documents) or if the Designated Learning Institution (DLI) was later found to be non-compliant.

Automatic Cancellations occur if the holder:

Becomes a permanent resident.
Dies.

Also Read: Canada to Roll Out Accelerated Pathway for H-1B Visa Holders to Boost Skilled Worker Recruitment

Work Permit Cancellation

Work permits fall under IRPR sections 209.01 and 209.02. They may be cancelled for administrative errors like failing to verify employer eligibility or Labour Market Impact Assessments.

Discretionary Ground:

Cancellation can occur due to administrative error (e.g., an officer mistakenly failing to verify the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) number or the employer鈥檚 eligibility).

Automatic Cancellations occur if the holder:

Becomes a permanent resident.
Dies.

Key Differences in the New and Old Rules

Category	Old Rules	New Rules Now in Effect
Legal clarity	Officers relied on general discretionary powers or default revocation	Explicit legal provisions now define specific grounds and cancellation processes (e.g., IRPR sections 180.1, 12.07, 209.01, 222.7)
Transparency	Cancellations were often procedural and unclear	Specific legal sections make the criteria and grounds for cancellation public and transparent
Applicant protection	Limited or no formal awareness of when and why cancellations could occur	Cancellation grounds are now predictable and appealable through judicial review
System integrity	Rules and enforcement are ambiguous without detailed authority	Reinforced system integrity through structured authority, audit trails, and clearer officer powers

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