Canada PR: Cash-paid jobs face rejection as IRCC tightens scrutiny

IRCC has started rejecting permanent residency applications where salaries were paid in cash, raising questions about fairness and documentation standards

Canada’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship department (IRCC) has reportedly begun refusing permanent residency (PR) applications from candidates who cannot prove that their work experience involved traceable payments. Immigration consultant Kubeir Kamal said recent refusals are being linked to salaries paid in cash.

 

“IRCC is tightening further screws on PR applications by refusing applications for failing to demonstrate remuneration for declared work experience. Translation, IRCC is refusing PR applications with work experience with a cash salary,” said Kamal in a post on X.

 

He added that refusals are occurring without Procedural Fairness Letters (PFLs), which are usually sent to applicants to clarify or supplement their evidence before rejection. “I am sure many of these will line up for JRs and would probably be ‘allowed’ since the law does not insist upon the method of remuneration. I have seen three such cases in the last two days,” he wrote, calling it “a developing story.”

 

Does Canadian law specify how salaries should be paid?

 

Canadian immigration law does not specify how remuneration must be made. Payments through bank transfer, cheque, or cash are technically acceptable, provided the applicant can prove that the employment was genuine and verifiable.

 

However, recent refusals suggest IRCC officers are increasingly relying on traceable financial evidence such as bank statements, pay slips, or tax filings to confirm work experience claims.

 

Why are cash payments raising concerns?

 

The main issue with cash payments is the absence of a clear audit trail. Digital transactions and payroll records can be independently verified, while cash salaries depend heavily on an employer’s word. This has led to the misuse of cash-based records by applicants presenting fake reference letters or fabricated job histories.

 

While such scrutiny helps detect fraudulent claims, it also creates hurdles for genuine applicants—especially those in countries where cash payments remain common.

 

How are genuine applicants affected?

 

Many workers in developing economies, including India, continue to be paid in cash due to limited access to formal banking or entrenched business practices. For such applicants, proving authenticity becomes more complicated.

 

Without documentary proof such as payslips, tax returns, or provident fund contributions, even legitimate applicants may be seen as non-compliant.

 

Applicants accused of providing false information risk having their applications refused and may face a five-year entry ban, according to Kamal.

 

What is a Procedural Fairness Letter (PFL)?

A PFL is IRCC’s formal notice to an applicant, requesting clarification or additional documentation before a decision is made.

 

Receiving one gives applicants a final chance to explain inconsistencies or missing evidence. Ignoring a PFL, or failing to provide convincing documentation, can lead to an outright refusal.

 

Kamal said some of the latest refusals are being issued without this step, which could make them subject to judicial review (JR) in federal court.