{"id":2138,"date":"2013-06-20T15:58:06","date_gmt":"2013-06-20T15:58:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.aidslaw.ca\/newsite\/?page_id=2138"},"modified":"2022-11-04T20:32:54","modified_gmt":"2022-11-05T00:32:54","slug":"immigration-and-travel","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/our-work\/immigration-and-travel\/?lang=en","title":{"rendered":"Immigration and Travel"},"content":{"rendered":"

Overview<\/h2>\n

People living with HIV should not face discriminatory or unnecessary barriers to their freedom of movement.<\/p>\n

States that erect entry barriers for people with HIV justify their policies as necessary to protect public health and the public purse. But HIV is not communicable through casual contact. Thus, the United Nations has stated that \u201cthere is no public health rationale for restricting liberty of movement or choice of residence on the grounds of HIV status.\u201d<\/p>\n

We analyze<\/b> Canadian and international immigration policies and laws, and work with governments and advocacy groups to ensure that those laws respect the human rights of people living with HIV.<\/p>\n

Where people living with HIV face persecution in their countries of origin, or where they seek to be reunited with family members, humanitarian concerns and international law should and often do compel countries to admit them.<\/p>\n

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Publications<\/span>News<\/span><\/div>
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HIV Legal Network Comments – UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: April 28, 2026\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t
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This submission responds to key questions that the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism has raised in support of her upcoming visit to Canada. Our responses focus on people who use drugs, sex workers, people without permanent residence or citizenship, and people living with HIV in Canada.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t

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Video – Hard Time Persists – Immigration<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: April 28, 2026\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t
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Everyone \u2014 including people who have been detained \u2014 has a right to the highest attainable standard of health and to healthcare that is at least equivalent to that which is available in the community, whatever their immigration status. The current system \u2014 which allows for indefinite and punitive detention without comprehensive oversight \u2014 fails … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t

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NEW RULES IMPACTING REFUGEE CLAIMS<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: April 21, 2026\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t
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IMPORTANT LEGAL UPDATE REGARDING REFUGEE CLAIMS IN CANADA On March 26, 2026, the government of Canada passed a new law called Strengthening Canada\u2019s Immigration System and Borders Act. Among the serious changes, the new law significantly limits who can make a refugee claim in Canada. NEW RULES IMPACTING REFUGEE CLAIMS One-year limit to making a … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t

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Know Your Rights – ACCESSING HEALTHCARE WITHOUT PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR CITIZENSHIP IN CANADA<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: April 17, 2026\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t
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The information contained in this publication is about the law but is not legal advice. For legal advice, please contact a lawyer. If you are in Canada, contact an organization serving immigrants and refugees, or an AIDS service organization in your area, and ask them if they can provide you with information on immigration issues … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t

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Submission to the United Nations Human Rights Committee: Review of Canada at 145th Session<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: February 3, 2026\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t
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The HIV Legal Network made this submission to the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee (\u201cCommittee\u201d) in advance of its review of Canada\u2019s periodic report, detailing our concerns about Canada\u2019s implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). This submission provides information on violations of Articles 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, and … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\r\n<\/div>\r\n\n

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Statement – Challenging the constitutionality of Canada\u2019s \u201cexcessive demand\u201d regime in federal court<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: April 17, 2024\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t
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The HIV Legal Network and a client of Battista Migration Law Group are challenging the constitutionality of Canada\u2019s \u201cexcessive demand\u201d regime in federal court. On February 2, 2024, we filed legal arguments and materials challenging the decision of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to deny a work permit based on an applicant\u2019s HIV status. … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t

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Media Release – HIV organizations in Canada call for the immediate revocation of immigration policy that harms people living with HIV<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: June 21, 2023\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t
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This statement can be attributed to HALCO, the HIV Legal Network, and COCQ-SIDA. June 21, 2023 \u2013 The HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO), HIV Legal Network, and La Coalition des organismes communautaires qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois de lutte contre le sida (COCQ-SIDA), are deeply concerned about the continued application of the \u201cAutomatic Partner Notification Policy\u201d (\u201cthe … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t

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HIV organizations in Canada call for the immediate revocation of immigration policy that harms people living with HIV<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: June 21, 2023\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t
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This statement can be attributed to HALCO, the HIV Legal Network, and COCQ-SIDA. June 21, 2023 \u2013 The HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO), HIV Legal Network, and La Coalition des organismes communautaires qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois de lutte contre le sida (COCQ-SIDA), are deeply concerned about the continued application of the \u201cAutomatic Partner Notification Policy\u201d (\u201cthe … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t

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FLATTEN INEQUALITY: Human rights in the age of COVID-19<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: April 3, 2020\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t
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In the face of the global COVID-19 pandemic, law- and policymakers are taking and contemplating drastic measures to minimize the spread of the virus. But hasty and broad punitive measures may perversely undermine public health objectives while also violating human rights \u2014 so it is essential that any measures be appropriately narrow and comply with … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t

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A Modest Advance on Medical Inadmissability<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t
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Today, after years of advocacy by HIV, disability and migrant rights organizations, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship announced changes to the rules that exclude would-be residents of Canada based on projected \u201cexcessive demand\u201d on health and social services. These changes, however, fall far short of the full repeal of the current flawed, discriminatory … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\r\n<\/div>\r\n\n

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Overview People living with HIV should not face discriminatory or unnecessary barriers to their freedom of movement. States that erect entry barriers for people with HIV justify their policies as necessary to protect public health and the public purse. But HIV is not communicable through casual contact. Thus, the United Nations has stated that \u201cthere … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22727,"parent":9,"menu_order":80,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2138","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2138","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2138"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2138\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3353,"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2138\/revisions\/3353"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22727"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2138"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}