Application for permanent residence in Canada under humanitarian and compassionate grounds (also called an H&C) is an immigration application that permits foreign nationals who are otherwise inadmissible, or who face exceptional circumstances, or excessive hardship if they had to return to their home country in order to apply for permanent residence from outside of Canada, as required by the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration may exercise his or her discretion to grant permanent resident status to such applicants. It is important to note that inadmissibility cannot be related to health, organized criminality, human and international rights violations, and security matters. It is also important to note that there is no right of appeal for humanitarian and compassionate cases.

In order for an application to be approved, applicants must satisfy the designated immigration officer that their personal circumstances are such that the hardship of having to obtain a permanent resident visa from outside of Canada would be unusual and undeserved or disproportionate.

If you believe your personal circumstances are so compelling that you would suffer excessive hardship if you had to return to your home country to apply for permanent residence from outside of Canada, please contact our office for a free assessment of your case and further information regarding the procedures for applying for permanent residence in Canada under humanitarian and compassionate considerations.