The panel said the husband failed to demonstrate knowledge of basic aspects of Ms Johnson’s life, including her medical history and family details.
OTTAWA, CANADA — A Canadian federal judge has upheld the deportation of a 29-year-old Nigerian man after ruling that his marriage to 79-year-old Canadian citizen Doreen Johnson was not genuine, but rather aimed at securing immigration status.
According to court filings seen by Peoples Gazette, Ms Johnson had applied to sponsor her husband under the spousal sponsorship program following his arrival in Canada in February 2023, three years after their marriage in Nigeria.
However, in decisions dated March 4 and March 28, 2024, the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) found the relationship to be fraudulent.
The panel said the husband failed to demonstrate knowledge of basic aspects of Ms Johnson’s life, including her medical history and family details.
The visa officer subsequently informed Ms Johnson that the application was denied, citing the relationship as a “poverty alleviation scheme.”
Ms Johnson sought judicial review, but Justice Mandy Aylen of the Federal Court dismissed the application on April 14, 2025.
“Importantly, a marriage entered into for the purpose of acquiring a status or privilege will be flawed even if it subsequently becomes genuine,” Justice Aylen ruled.
The decision affirms Canada’s strict stance on immigration fraud through spousal sponsorships.