Date: 20041115
Docket: IMM-3966-04
Citation: 2004 FC 1590
Ottawa, Ontario, November 15, 2004
Present: THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE KELEN
BETWEEN:
BENJAMIN RADICS
Applicant
and
THE MINISTER OF
CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION
Respondent
REASONS FOR ORDER AND ORDER
[1] This is an application for judicial review of a decision of H. Brooks, Immigration Officer dated April 7, 2004 in which the applicant's request for restoration of his temporary resident status was denied.
FACTS
Background
[2] The applicant, a Hungarian citizen, entered Canada on June 18, 2003 as a visitor and was authorized to remain until December 18, 2003. The applicant's original purpose in coming to Canada was a nine-day trip awarded to him by his employer in Hungary.
[3] By letter dated December 22, 2003, the applicant applied for a restoration of his temporary resident status pursuant to section 182 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, SOR/2002-227 (the "Regulations"). In his letter, the applicant indicated that he had inadvertently failed to apply for an extension of his visa within the necessary time-period. He also indicated that he was in the process of obtaining an employment validation from Human Resources Development Canada ("HRDC") to enable him to apply for a work permit and that he had $3500 to support himself with in Canada.
[4] The applicant subsequently received an employment validation from HRDC dated February 25, 2004. On March 8, 2004, the applicant submitted an application to the respondent's office in Buffalo, New York for a work permit. This documentation was not before the immigration officer due to an unexplained error by the government.
The Decision
[5] On April 7, 2004, H. Brooks, an immigration officer with Citizenship and Immigration Canada, refused the applicant's request for a restoration of his temporary resident status. The reason given for the refusal was:
It appears your original reason or purpose for coming to Canada has been satisfied. Your application is therefore refused.
[6] The reasons were accompanied by the notes of Officer Brooks, which state:
REQUESTING RESTORATION:
ENTERED CANADA 18/6/03. STATUS EXPIRED 18,12/03. REQUESTING RESTORATION IN ORDER TO OBTAIN HRDC VALIDATION. SUBJECT TOLD VISA OFFICER HE WAS AWARDED A 9 DAY TRIP BY HIS EMPLOYER IN HUNGARY FOR HIS EXCELLENT WORK. AND CO. WAS PAYING ALL EXPENSES. HE STATES HE HAS $3,500 NO PROOF SUBMITTED. HE HAS NOT SUBMITTED COPY OF AIRLINE TICKET. EVEN IF HE OBTAINS HRDC CLEARANCE HE WILL HAVE TO APPLY AT A VISA OFFICE. HE HAS NOT SATISFIED ME THAT HE WILL DEPART CANADA AT THE END OF ANY STATUS GRANTED.
[7] As a result of this negative decision, the applicant initiated this application for judicial review on April 29, 2004.
ISSUE
[8] Did the respondent err in refusing to restore the applicant's temporary resident status?
RELEVANT LEGISLATION
[9] The relevant provisions of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations state:
| 179. An officer shall issue a temporary resident visa to a foreign national if, following an examination, it is established that the foreign national (a) has applied in accordance with these Regulations for a temporary resident visa as a member of the visitor, worker or student class; (b) will leave Canada by the end of the period authorized for their stay under Division 2; (c) holds a passport or other document that they may use to enter the country that issued it or another country; (d) meets the requirements applicable to that class; (e) is not inadmissible; and (f) meets the requirements of section 30.
[...] 182. On application made by a visitor, worker or student within 90 days after losing temporary resident status as a result of failing to comply with a condition imposed under paragraph 185(a), any of subparagraphs 185(b)(i) to (iii) or paragraph 185(c), an officer shall restore that status if, following an examination, it is established that the visitor, worker or student meets the initial requirements for their stay and has not failed to comply with any other conditions imposed.
[...]
197. A foreign national may apply for a work permit at any time before entering Canada.
[...]
199. A foreign national may apply for a work permit after entering Canada if they (a) hold a work permit; (b) have been working in Canada under the authority of section 186 for a period of at least three consecutive months, unless they are a business visitor within the meaning of section 187; (c) hold a study permit; (d) hold a temporary resident permit issued under subsection 24(1) of the Act that is valid for at least six months; (e) are a family member of a person described in any of paragraphs (a) to (d); (f) are in a situation described in section 206 or 207; (g) applied for a work permit before entering Canada and the application was approved in writing but they have not been issued the permit; or (h) are applying as a trader or investor, intra-company transferee or professional, as described in Section B, C or D of Annex 1603 of the Agreement, within the meaning of subsection 2(1) of the North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, and their country of citizenship -- being a country party to that Agreement -- grants to Canadian citizens who submit a similar application within that country treatment equivalent to that accorded by Canada to citizens of that country who submit an application within Canada, including treatment in respect of an authorization for multiple entries based on a single application.
|
|
179. L'agent délivre un visa de résident temporaire à l'étranger si, à l'issue d'un contrôle, les éléments suivants sont établis : a) l'étranger en a fait, conformément au présent règlement, la demande au titre de la catégorie des visiteurs, des travailleurs ou des étudiants; b) il quittera le Canada à la fin de la période de séjour autorisée qui lui est applicable au titre de la section 2; c) il est titulaire d'un passeport ou autre document qui lui permet d'entrer dans le pays qui l'a délivré ou dans n autre pays; d) il se conforme aux exigences applicables à cette catégorie; e) il n'est pas interdit de territoire; f) il satisfait aux exigences prévues à l'article 30.
[...]
182. Sur demande faite par le visiteur, le travailleur ou l'étudiant dans les quatre-vingt-dix jours suivant la perte de son statut de résident temporaire parce qu'il ne s'est pas conformé à l'une des conditions prévues à l'alinéa 185a), aux sous-alinéas 185b)(i) à (iii) ou à l'alinéa 185c), l'agent rétablit ce statut si, à l'issue d'un contrôle, il est établi que l'intéressé satisfait aux exigences initiales de sa période de séjour et qu'il s'est conformé à toute autre condition imposée à cette occasion.
[...]
197. L'étranger peut, en tout temps avant son entrée au Canada, faire une demande de permis de travail.
[...]
199. L'étranger peut faire une demande de permis de travail après son entrée au Canada dans les cas suivants: a) il détient un permis de travail; b) il a travaillé au Canada, aux termes de l'article 186, pendant une période continue d'au moins trois mois et n'est pas un visiteur commercial au sens de l'article 187; c) il détient un permis d'études; d) il détient, aux termes du paragraphe 24(1) de la Loi, un permis de séjour temporaire qui est valide pour au moins six mois; e) il est membre de la famille d'une personne visée à l'un des alinéas a) à d); f) il se trouve dans la situation visée aux articles 206 ou 207; g) sa demande de permis de travail présentée avant son entrée au Canada a été approuvée par écrit, mais le permis ne lui a pas encore été délivré; h) il demande à travailler à titre de négociant ou d'investisseur, de personne mutée à l'intérieur d'une société ou de professionnel, selon la description qui en est donnée respectivement aux sections B, C et D de l'annexe 1603 de l'Accord, au sens du paragraphe 2(1) de la Loi de mise en oeuvre de l'Accord de libre-échange nord-américain, et son pays de citoyenneté - partie à l'Accord - accorde aux citoyens canadiens qui présentent dans ce pays une demande du même genre un traitement équivalent à celui qu'accorde le Canada aux citoyens de ce pays qui présentent, au Canada, une telle demande, notamment le traitement d'une autorisation d'entrées multiples fondée sur une seule demande.
|
|
|
|
|
ANALYSIS
[10] Pursuant to section 182 of the Regulations, an immigration officer is required to restore an applicant's temporary resident status if he meets the initial requirements for his stay and if he has not failed to comply with any other conditions imposed. Section 179 sets out the initial requirements for the issuance of a temporary resident visa. Among other things, the applicant must have properly applied as either a visitor, worker or student and it must be established by the immigration officer that the applicant will leave Canada by the end of his authorized stay. In determining whether an applicant will leave Canada at the end of his stay, an officer will usually consider the applicant's purpose for wanting to be in Canada. This permits an officer to gauge whether it is likely that the applicant has a temporary reason for being here, and thus, whether it is likely that he will leave when required.
[11] The fact that the applicant applied to restore his visitor's status in Canada, and did not evade authorities, suggests that he is law abiding and that he will leave Canada by the end of the period authorized for his stay. This material fact was ignored by the immigration officer in finding that:
He (the applicant) has not satisfied me that he will depart Canada at the end of any status granted.
Moreover, the immigration officer gave no reasons for his conclusion. These factors taken together make the decision patently unreasonable.
[12] The immigration officer was missing important material evidence sent on February 25, 2004 to the respondent's office in Vegreville, Alberta which the immigration officer should have considered before rendering this decision on April 7, 2004. This omission also constitutes a patently unreasonable error.
[13] The applicant, while a visitor, is entitled to explore Canada as a possible place to move and work. He needs to apply for a work permit before entering Canada. The applicant is a skilled worker in great demand in Canada.
[14] For these reasons, the Court will allow this application, and remit the matter back to another immigration officer to make the decision in accordance with these reasons.
[15] Neither party proposed a question for certification.
ORDER
THIS COURT ORDERS THAT:
This application is allowed and the matter remitted to another immigration officer to make the decision in accordance with these reasons.
"Michael A. Kelen" _______________________________
JUDGE
FEDERAL COURT OF CANADA
Names of Counsel and Solicitors of Record
DOCKET: IMM-3966-04
STYLE OF CAUSE: BENJAMIN RADICS v. MCI
DATE OF HEARING: Tuesday, November 9, 2004
PLACE OF HEARING: Toronto, Ontario.
REASONS FOR ORDER
AND ORDER BY: THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE KELEN
DATED: Monday, November 15, 2004
APPEARANCES BY: Ms. Wennie Lee
(416) 321-0100
For the Applicant
Ms. Ladan Shahrooz
(416) 973-1349
For the Respondent
SOLICITORS OF RECORD: Wennie Lee
Lee and Company
255 Duncan Mill Road
Suite # 610
Toronto, Ontario
M3B 3H9
For the Applicant
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
130 King Street West
Suite 3400, Box 36
Toronto, Ontario
M5X 1K6
For the Respondent
FEDERAL COURT
Date: 20041115
Docket: IMM-3966-04
BETWEEN:
BENJAMIN RADICS
Applicant
and
THE MINISTER OF CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION
Respondent
REASONS FOR ORDER
AND ORDER