Federal Court dismisses Thomas Partey’s urgent motion for expedited entry to Canada
OTTAWA, Canada
The Federal Court of Canada has dismissed an urgent motion filed by Ghanaian international footballer Thomas Teye Partey seeking to expedite his entry into the country, while urging Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to prioritize outstanding requests related to his case.
In an Order dated June 16, 2026, Justice Roger R. Lafrenière ruled on a motion filed June 14, 2026, under the Federal Courts Rules. Partey had sought abridged timelines, expedited production of tribunal records, and an accelerated schedule for a judicial review application challenging an immigration decision. In the alternative, he requested an order directing the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to urgently reconsider a refusal decision and issue a Temporary Resident Permit under section 24 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, IRPA.
The Court rejected the request for extraordinary relief. In his reasons, Justice Lafrenière held that the balance of convenience favours preserving the integrity of Canada’s immigration system and the enforcement of Parliament’s policy choices in the IRPA.
“The Applicant seeks extraordinary, mandatory interlocutory relief that would in substance require Canada to set aside a lawfully rendered inadmissibility finding,” the judge wrote. Citing the Federal Court of Appeal’s recent decision in Canada (Transport) v ITPS (Canada) Ltd, 2026 FCA 112, the Court noted that in matters involving inadmissibility for serious criminality, “the public interest in the consistent and balanced application of inadmissibility rules… weighs heavily against such relief.”
While dismissing the motion, Justice Lafrenière acknowledged that Partey’s separate requests for reconsideration and a Temporary Resident Permit are “time-sensitive” and that delay could render the relief sought moot. The judge urged IRCC to prioritize decisions on those requests but declined to issue a binding order.
The dismissal relates solely to the procedural motion for expedited treatment. Partey’s underlying Application for Leave and for Judicial Review remains before the Court and will proceed under standard timelines.
Read the ruling below:
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