Everything was going according to plan for Julia Celestino. She moved from Brazil to Saint John in 2023 to study at the New Brunswick Community College. After graduating, she found steady work supporting a child with learning needs at a local school.

Then, the federal government rejected her post graduation work permit.

According to a report by CBC News, Celestino is one of nearly 1,000 international students across Canada who received rejection notices from the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. The reason comes down to a confusing application process.

A Flawed Application Process

The federal department requires proof of English language proficiency. Celestino passed her language test and had the certificate. However, the application form failed to explicitly state she needed to attach this proof. The online portal also lacked a clear way to upload the document.

Between November 2024 and the end of the year, the department denied 945 permits over this exact issue.

“I wasn’t expecting it,” Celestino told CBC News. “In my mind, I did everything right.”

The rejection forced Celestino to stop working immediately. She found herself living in Canada without a valid work permit.

Taking Action to Stay in Saint John

Celestino and her partner, Henry Gushurst, originally planned a July wedding. Facing a 90 day window before she had to leave the country, the couple moved their wedding to March. This allowed Celestino to apply for permanent residency under the spousal sponsorship program.

“Our plan was, let’s get married just to be safe,” she said.

Simultaneously, their lawyer initiated a judicial review of the rejected application. Applicants must start this process within 15 days of receiving a rejection notice.

A Successful Appeal

After a month and a half of uncertainty, Celestino won her appeal. The government issued her work permit last week.

“It was such a relief because I was like, OK, now I can go back to working and keep going with our plans, the wedding and everything,” she said.

The federal government acknowledges the application issues. In November, the Immigration Department updated its website to clarify the language test requirements and provide upload instructions. This update arrived six months after Celestino applied.

Toronto immigration lawyer Alannah Glintz notes an increase in these cases since early February. She says applicants have options.

“We are seeing clients successful with their reconsideration requests,” Glintz said. “If the reconsideration request is clear, concise and provides the documentation that is needed to update the file, then typically it is something that they are able to reopen and continue processing.”

Celestino is now heading back to her job at the local school. While her story has a happy ending, she worries about the dozens of other newcomers in Saint John still waiting for answers. If you find yourself in a similar situation, legal experts recommend acting quickly to file a reconsideration request or judicial review.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did the government reject these work permits?

The Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship rejected applications because students did not attach proof of English language proficiency. The application portal did not clearly state this requirement or provide an obvious way to upload the certificate.

How many international students face this issue?

The federal government denied 945 permits between November 2024 and the end of the year due to this specific language proof issue.

What should you do if your work permit is rejected?

Immigration lawyers advise filing a reconsideration request or proceeding with a judicial review. You must initiate a judicial review within 15 days of receiving your rejection notice.

Did the government fix the application website?

Yes. The Immigration Department updated its website in November to clearly state the language test requirements and provide instructions on how to upload the results.