F. still remembers the moment her sister called with news that felt like a turning point. It came after the violent crackdown that followed Mahsa Amini’s death in custody, after her arrest by Iran’s morality police in Tehran.
At the time, F. spent her nights protesting in the streets, while her young daughter stayed home with her husband. She sometimes hid on rooftops until dawn as security forces and militia swept through neighbourhoods searching for demonstrators. She said she felt fortunate to avoid arrest or detention.
When the protests eventually died down, F. joined an underground network helping injured demonstrators access medical care.
A special measure, but no clear path forward
By late 2023, F. felt increasingly unsafe. That’s when her sister, a Canadian citizen living near Toronto, called to tell her about a new opportunity.
Canada had introduced special immigration measures for Iranian nationals in response to the humanitarian crisis following the Woman, Life, Freedom protests. Under the measures, Iranians already visiting Canada could apply for open work permits, allowing them to work for any employer rather than being tied to one company.
CBC News is withholding F.’s full name due to safety concerns for her and her relatives still in Iran. She is now in Canada with her seven-year-old daughter, while her husband remains in Iran – the family has been separated for two and a half years.
F. arrived in Canada on a visitor visa in January 2024 and obtained her work permit shortly after. She then applied for a spousal open work permit for her husband – but the special Iranian measures never included a dedicated pathway to permanent residence or family reunification. Eight months later, her husband’s application was refused, and by then, eligibility rules had already tightened significantly.
A growing pattern among Iranian families
F.’s situation reflects a broader concern shared by many Iranians who arrived under the special measures. As Canada moves to scale back temporary immigration overall, permit holders say shifting eligibility requirements and repeated refusals have made family reunification increasingly difficult.
Immigration lawyers and consultants say thousands of Iranians made major life decisions based on a humanitarian program that offered temporary protection, but no clear route to long-term stability or reunification with family.
Data obtained by immigration consultant Rami Mamar through an access-to-information request shows that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 86,255 permits and extensions to Iranian nationals under the special measures between February 2023 and January 2025 – the vast majority being work permit extensions.
Separate data obtained by CBC shows only a small number of spousal open work permit applications from Iranian nationals have been approved in recent years, with several more still pending.
Tighter rules, more refusals
Since early 2025, Canada has narrowed eligibility for spousal open work permits more broadly. Applicants must now have at least 16 months remaining on their own permits, and eligibility is largely restricted to highly skilled workers in management, professional, or specific designated occupations.
IRCC says each application is assessed individually, and that the stricter rules are part of broader reforms meant to align temporary resident programs with labour market needs – and apply to all nationalities, not just Iranians.
Toronto-based refugee lawyer Lorne Waldman noted that offering people the ability to stay and work is a humane response to crisis, but questioned how that policy accounts for people trying to reunite with family.
Following the rules, still turned away
Maryam, another Iranian permit holder, has spent nearly two years and thousands of dollars trying to bring her husband and teenage son to Canada. Despite qualifying under the new eligibility requirements, her husband’s application was refused – officials cited concerns he wouldn’t leave Canada at the end of his stay, pointing to his strong family ties in the country as a reason for the denial.
Her son’s study permit applications were also denied, along with a visitor visa request that included a personal letter asking Canada to allow him to see his mother.
Maryam has since challenged the refusal in Federal Court and received a settlement offer sending her case back to IRCC for reconsideration – though she remains anxious, having seen other families receive similar settlements only to be refused again.
Refusal letters show similar patterns
Roughly 40 Iranian families recently shared dozens of refusal letters with CBC News. Many contained apparent factual errors and cited similar justifications – insufficient family ties outside Canada, lack of establishment in their home country, or doubts the applicant would leave at the end of their stay.
A systemic issue, advocates say
Immigration advocates argue these cases point to a deeper flaw in Canada’s reliance on temporary immigration programs. Migrant Rights Network spokesperson Syed Hussan said many people are left living month to month, unable to establish roots, functioning instead as a vulnerable, precarious labour pool.
For F., the emotional toll continues to build. During a recent video call with her husband, she noticed his hair turning greyer – a quiet reminder of how much time has passed apart.
F. now works as a line cook in Kitchener-Waterloo and is resubmitting her husband’s application under her new status as a foreign student, after being accepted into a competitive master’s program in social work starting this fall.
She says she’s grateful for the opportunities she and her daughter have found in Canada, and for the community they’ve built. But her daughter continues to ask why her father hasn’t joined them – a question F. says she still can’t answer.
News Source: CBC News
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Disclaimer
This News is intended for general informational purposes only and is based on reporting, data and interviews available at the time of publication. Immigration policies, eligibility rules and processing outcomes are subject to change and vary by individual circumstance. Readers seeking guidance on their own immigration status should consult IRCC directly or a licensed immigration lawyer or consultant. This piece does not constitute legal advice.
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