Filipiniana News – November 2019 by Maria Deanna P. Santos Some people are surprised to learn that even a seemingly 'innocent' act of misrepresentation in the immigration context can lead to a five-year bar from reapplying to enter or remain in Canada. In Canadian immigration law, misrepresentation is defined as “directly or indirectly misrepresenting or withholding material facts relating to a relevant matter that induces or could induce an error in the administration of the Act.” The "Act", for those who may not be aware, refers to the main source of Canada's immigration law and policy, the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). The words, “directly or indirectly,” in the above definition imply that misrepresentation may be committed by the applicant, permanent resident or by other people. Direct misrepresentation is quite self-explanatory in that it commonly refers to a deliberate act of lying in one's immigration application