Dubai: Canada is further tightening its immigration policies by issuing fewer visas and turning away more individuals who arrive at its borders with official documents, according to a Reuters report that cited government data.
The increase in rejections comes as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government, facing low poll numbers ahead of next year’s anticipated election, seeks to reduce the influx of temporary residents and potentially permanent immigrants.
The government has faced criticism for housing shortages and high prices, which some attribute to the rising number of migrants.
While Canada has traditionally prided itself on welcoming newcomers, recent polls indicate growing concerns among Canadians about the volume of immigration.
This sentiment appears to be influencing the behaviour of border and immigration officials. In July, Canada refused entry to 5,853 foreign travellers — including students, workers, and tourists — the highest number since at least January 2019, according to previously unreported data from the border agency.
According to the Reuters report, border officers in Canada turned away an average of 3,727 foreign travellers per month during the first seven months of 2024, marking a 20 per cent increase of 633 people compared to the previous year. In July alone, officers deemed 285 visa-holders inadmissible, the highest monthly figure since at least January 2019.
A spokesperson for the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) told Reuters that such decisions can result from changes in migration patterns or policy, though no specific policy adjustments were identified.
The CBSA emphasized that its role in assessing admissibility has remained consistent.
Fewer visas
In parallel, Canada’s immigration department has been approving fewer visas. The ratio of refused visitor visa applications to approved ones in June was the highest since the peak of the pandemic. Data from January, February, May, and June 2024 indicate that more applications were refused than approved.
The number of approved study and work permits also fell from the record highs of 2023 and 2022. Immigration Minister Marc Miller stated in August that Canadians desire a controlled immigration system. His spokesperson noted that the decrease in study-permit approvals was due to a cap announced in January, although the decline appears to have started last year, the report said.
Eight lawyers reported to Reuters an increase in scrutiny of visa-holders at airports and land crossings. British Columbia lawyer Will Tao recounted representing several visa-holders who were questioned intensely by border officials, with some being advised to return voluntarily or face potential deportation.
Tao attributes this increased scrutiny to a significant shift in government attitudes toward immigration. Mohammed Kamil Shaibu, a Ghanaian who was stopped while en route to a conference in Edmonton last September, described his distressing experience.
After being interrogated by phone about his employment and travel plans, he was informed that his temporary resident visa was invalid and was instructed to return to Accra.
An email from the immigration department confirmed the invalidation of his visa. University of Calgary assistant law professor Gideon Christian criticized Canada for issuing visas that it does not intend to honor. Despite his experience, Shaibu remains optimistic about Canada and may attempt to visit again in the future, the report said.
