A member whose study permit was refused asked how to apply for a judicial review.
What group members advised:- Consider requesting GCMS notes first, before jumping straight to a judicial review — one member questioned whether the judicial review route was necessary if the reasoning behind the refusal (available in the GCMS notes) hadn't been reviewed yet.
- How to get GCMS notes: a Canadian citizen or permanent resident can submit the request on your behalf with your consent, and the group's experience was that it typically takes about 30-40 days to receive them.
Takeaway: before committing to a judicial review — which is a more involved and costly legal process — get the GCMS notes first to understand exactly why the refusal happened. That understanding can inform whether a judicial review, a fresh application addressing the officer's specific concerns, or another route makes more sense.