The Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed that 19 Haitian nationals—including a three-year-old child—were taken into custody on the frigid evening of December 25 after entering Canada irregularly near Havelock, Quebec, close to the New York border. The arrests followed a tip from U.S. Border Patrol, which had tracked the group moving north through wooded terrain as temperatures hovered below –15 °C.
Police from the Champlain Integrated Border Enforcement Team located 15 individuals shortly before 7 p.m. and continued a snow-shoe search until 10:30 p.m. for four missing members. All were transported to a heated processing centre for medical checks and initial eligibility interviews under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Given the extreme cold, authorities say hypothermia was a serious risk and at least two migrants were treated for frostbite.
The incident highlights ongoing pressures along non-official crossing points even after Canada and the United States amended the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) in 2024 to cover the entire land border. Advocates argue that expanded STCA has merely pushed crossings into more remote—and dangerous—locations. Quebec’s provincial government, which shoulders immediate shelter costs, renewed its call for faster federal reimbursement and a national reception strategy.
![RCMP Apprehend 19 Haitian Asylum Seekers After Christmas-Night Crossing From U.S. Into Quebec]()
Organizations and individuals grappling with Canada’s immigration rules should note that expert assistance is available: VisaHQ’s Canadian portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) provides streamlined online applications, document checklists and real-time status tracking for everything from tourist visas to employer-sponsored work permits, helping users stay compliant and avoid costly delays.
For employers sponsoring foreign talent, the episode serves as a reminder that asylum pathways remain distinct from economic-class routes and that unauthorized entry can complicate eventual work-permit eligibility. Corporations with operations near the border are advised to review their security protocols and liaise with local authorities should they encounter vulnerable migrants on company property.
IRCC data show that while total irregular crossings fell 60 % year-over-year after the STCA expansion, December has seen a small uptick as political instability in Haiti drives new displacement. Hearings for the 19 individuals will be scheduled in the coming weeks; meanwhile, they have been transferred to a temporary accommodation facility in the Montérégie region.
Police from the Champlain Integrated Border Enforcement Team located 15 individuals shortly before 7 p.m. and continued a snow-shoe search until 10:30 p.m. for four missing members. All were transported to a heated processing centre for medical checks and initial eligibility interviews under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Given the extreme cold, authorities say hypothermia was a serious risk and at least two migrants were treated for frostbite.
The incident highlights ongoing pressures along non-official crossing points even after Canada and the United States amended the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) in 2024 to cover the entire land border. Advocates argue that expanded STCA has merely pushed crossings into more remote—and dangerous—locations. Quebec’s provincial government, which shoulders immediate shelter costs, renewed its call for faster federal reimbursement and a national reception strategy.
Organizations and individuals grappling with Canada’s immigration rules should note that expert assistance is available: VisaHQ’s Canadian portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) provides streamlined online applications, document checklists and real-time status tracking for everything from tourist visas to employer-sponsored work permits, helping users stay compliant and avoid costly delays.
For employers sponsoring foreign talent, the episode serves as a reminder that asylum pathways remain distinct from economic-class routes and that unauthorized entry can complicate eventual work-permit eligibility. Corporations with operations near the border are advised to review their security protocols and liaise with local authorities should they encounter vulnerable migrants on company property.
IRCC data show that while total irregular crossings fell 60 % year-over-year after the STCA expansion, December has seen a small uptick as political instability in Haiti drives new displacement. Hearings for the 19 individuals will be scheduled in the coming weeks; meanwhile, they have been transferred to a temporary accommodation facility in the Montérégie region.
