FederalBill C-220Defeated
Bill C-220: An Act to amend the Criminal Code (immigration status in sentencing)
Sponsor: Hon. Michelle Rempel GarnerIntroduced September 17, 2025Last checked August 28, 2026
Read the official text on parl.caOfficial version — LEGISinfo, Parliament of Canada
What this bill does
This bill amends the Criminal Code to prohibit courts from considering a non-citizen offender's immigration status (or the immigration impact on their family) when determining a sentence, ensuring that sentencing is not reduced or altered to avoid deportation or other immigration consequences.
Plain-language summary by Legisail.
Business impact
This bill primarily affects the criminal justice system rather than businesses directly. It has minimal direct impact on day-to-day business operations across industries. However, employers who hire non-citizen workers — such as those relying on temporary foreign workers in agriculture, hospitality, food processing, or construction — may see indirect effects if employees who are convicted of crimes receive sentences that no longer account for immigration consequences, potentially leading to more deportations. Immigration consultants and criminal defence lawyers who advise non-citizen clients on the interplay between sentencing and immigration status would see a significant change in their practice. Business size is not a relevant factor.
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Where this bill is
First ReadingSeptember 17, 2025
DefeatedApril 3, 2026
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