Canada Judgment

Federal Court

Li v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration)

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Professional case brief

Research organized from the available case record

Source document

01

Holding and result

The Visa Officer reasonably concluded the primary applicant did not demonstrate she met the employer's stated job requirements and did not satisfy the officer she would leave Canada; because the dependent's open work permit application was entirely contingent on the primary applicant's approved work permit, the dependent's application was properly dismissed and the Court found no reviewable error.

Court disposition

Application dismissed

Orders

  • The application is dismissed.
  • There is no question for certification.

02

Material facts

Parties

Yang Li

Applicant Counsel: Mario D. Bellissimo

The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration

Respondent Counsel: Amy King

Amounts and remedies

  • Investment by Applicant's Wife: CAD 600,000
  • Requested Work Permit Duration (years): 2

03

Procedural history

  1. Posture

    Judicial Review (immigration) / Final Judgment

04

Questions and positions

Legal issues

Party arguments

Applicant
The applicant sought judicial review of the Visa Officer's refusal and asserted his open work permit should be granted because it is dependent on his wife's work permit, which he contended was wrongly refused.
Respondent
The Minister defended the Visa Officer's decision, arguing the officer reasonably found the primary applicant did not meet the employer's stated job requirements and failed to satisfy the officer she would leave Canada, and therefore the dependent's application also properly failed.

05

Court’s reasoning

  1. 01

    Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, SC 2001, c 27; Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, SOR/2002-227; Federal Court judicial review principles

    A visa officer must be satisfied an applicant meets the requirements of the IRPA and regulations before issuing a work permit; factual findings are reviewable on a reasonableness standard.

  2. 02

    Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, SOR/2002-227; administrative law principles governing dependency of applications

    A dependent's open work permit application is contingent upon the validity and approval of the principal applicant's work permit application.

  3. 03

    Federal Court jurisprudence on standard of review

    Review of an officer's credibility and evaluative determinations requires deference unless there are reviewable errors of law or breaches of procedural fairness.

06

Ratio, limits and disposition

Ratio decidendi

The Visa Officer reasonably concluded the primary applicant did not demonstrate she met the employer's stated job requirements and did not satisfy the officer she would leave Canada; because the dependent's open work permit application was entirely contingent on the primary applicant's approved work permit, the dependent's application was properly dismissed and the Court found no reviewable error.

Obiter and limits

  • The two applications were connected and the dependent's position was totally dependent on the primary applicant's application.
  • There is no question for certification in this matter.

Court disposition

Application dismissed

  • The application is dismissed.
  • There is no question for certification.

Source and reliance status

Federal Court · 23 January 2020

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Judgment reading view

Judgment text

The complete available source text.

Source document

Federal Court

Judgment· 23 January 2020

2020 FC 113

Li v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration) Court (s) Database Federal Court Decisions Date 2020-01-23 Neutral citation 2020 FC 113 File numbers IMM-1126-19 Decision Content Date: 20200123 Docket: IMM-1126-19 Citation: 2020 FC 113 Ottawa, Ontario, January 23, 2020 PRESENT: Mr. Justice Russell BETWEEN:

YANG LI Applicant and

THE MINISTER OF CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION Respondent

JUDGMENT AND REASONS I. INTRODUCTION [1] This is an application under s 72 (1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, SC 2001, c 27 [IRPA], for judicial review of the decision of a Visa Officer [Officer], dated December 19, 2018 [Decision], denying the Applicant’s application for an open work permit as a dependant of his wife, as a result of the denial of his wife’s work permit application. This application is connected to, and totally dependent upon, my decision in file IMM-1125-19. II. BACKGROUND [2] The Applicant is a citizen of China. He currently resides in the City of Hong Kong with his wife and daughter. [3] The Applicant’s wife sought a two-year work permit in Canada to work as the Chief Financial Officer for 2043167 Alberta Ltd., a start-up residential construction company in Alberta in which the Applicant’s wife has invested $600,000 and is a majority shareholder. The Applicant’s wife’s application states that the Applicant and their daughter will accompany her to Canada should she obtain the requested work permit. As such, the Applicant applied for an open work permit as a dependant of his wife. [4] On February 28, 2018, 2043167 Alberta Ltd. received a Labour Market Impact Assessment [LMIA] from Employment and Social Development Canada/Service Canada, which concluded that hiring a foreign national to work as the company’s Chief Financial Officer would have a

“positive or neutral impact on the Canadian labour market.” The LMIA invited the Applicant’s wife to submit her work permit application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. The LMIA noted that the job requirements included a Bachelor’s degree as well as verbal and written English language skills. [5] The Applicant’s wife first applied for a work permit in May 2018 but was subsequently refused on August 3, 2018. The Applicant’s wife noted in her subsequent application that she had been previously refused for providing “insufficient evidence and documentation.” Consequently, the Applicant’s wife submitted another work permit application on August 22, 2018, which is the subject of the application for judicial review in the related matter IMM-1125-19. That work permit application was also refused. III. DECISION UNDER REVIEW [6] On December 19, 2018, the Applicant and his wife received a letter from the Officer denying both of their applications. The Officer indicated that the Applicant’s wife’s application did not meet the requirements of the IRPA or the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, SOR/2002-227. In particular, the Officer found: (1) that the Applicant’s wife was not able to demonstrate that she adequately met the job requirements of her prospective employment; and (2) that the purpose of her visit did not satisfactorily demonstrate that she would

leave Canada at the end of her authorized stay. [7] The Officer’s notes elaborate on their reasons for rejecting the Applicant’s wife’s work permit application. I have reviewed the Officer’s decision to refuse the wife’s application in IMM-1125-19 and dismissed the application after finding no reviewable errors in the Decision. IV. CONCLUSION [8] Having dismissed the application of the Applicant’s wife in IMM-1125-19 for reasons given, I must also dismiss the Applicant’s application in this matter (IMM-1126-19) for the same reasons. The same issues and arguments arise in both applications and the Applicant’s position is totally dependent upon that of his wife. [9] Counsel agree there is no question for certification and I concur. JUDGMENT IN IMM-1126-19 THIS COURT’S JUDGMENT is that The application is dismissed. There is no question for certification. “James Russell” Judge

FEDERAL COURT

SOLICITORS OF RECORD DOCKET: IMM-1126-19 STYLE OF CAUSE: YANG LI v THE MINISTER OF CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION PLACE OF HEARING: Toronto, Ontario DATE OF HEARING: dECEMBER 10, 2019 JUDGMENT AND REASONS: Russell J. DATED: January 23, 2020 APPEARANCES: Mario D. Bellissimo For The Applicant Amy King For The Respondent SOLICITORS OF RECORD: Bellissimo Law Group Toronto, Ontario For The Applicant Attorney General of Canada Toronto, Ontario For The Respondent

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Authorities

Authorities used by the court

Cases, legislation, regulations, and constitutional provisions identified in the available record.

Li v. Canada (related file IMM-1125-19)

Case cited

Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, SC 2001, c 27

Legislation

Legislation referenced in the available case record.

Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, SOR/2002-227

Legislation

Legislation referenced in the available case record.

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