Iran International
Canada told Iran International on Thursday it does not automatically reject Iranian men’s permanent residency applications solely for compulsory IRGC service, after a conscript said he was ruled inadmissible for his involuntary service.
In a written response via email, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said that “conscription, in itself does not necessarily result in a person being deemed inadmissible to Canada, adding every application is examined case-by-case after thorough security screening.
"Officers consider whether service was voluntary, any involvement in violence or terrorism, rank and role within the IRGC, support for the organization’s goals, and current ties to its members," the statement said. "Senior regime officials who served after June 23, 2003, remain fully inadmissible."
The clarification follows Monday’s Federal Court dismissal of Mohammadreza Vadiati’s appeal. The 40-year-old Iranian asylum seeker had his permanent residency refused despite completing only mandatory IRGC service from 2006 to 2008 and insisting it was non-combatant.
Ottawa formally listed the IRGC as a terrorist entity under the Criminal Code in June 2024.
Under Canada’s anti-terrorism laws, membership in or support for a listed terrorist entity can result in inadmissibility, asset freezes, and criminal penalties.
The listing of the IRGC – which Canada blames for human rights abuses and the 2020 downing of flight PS752 – has broad implications for thousands of Iranian nationals who performed compulsory service.
Canadian politicians, including MP Kevin Vuong and Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, have said the listing aims to curb Tehran’s influence in Canada and prevent IRGC-linked individuals from operating on Canadian soil.
The court also confirmed that humanitarian or family reunification arguments cannot override terrorism-related inadmissibility findings under the IRPA.
