Applying for Canada’s visitor visa? Chances are that it might be rejected. Recent government data showed a surge in the rejection of visitor visas and those who reached Canadian borders with official documents were turned away.
The data obtained by news agency Reuters showed that a surge in the entry denied of foreign travellers at Canadian borders, marking the highest rejection rates since January 2019.
In July alone, Canada turned away 5,853 foreign travellers, including students, workers, and tourists. On average, 3,727 foreign travellers were denied entry per month in the first seven months of 2024, reflecting a 20% increase from the previous year.
The move coincides with the stricter immigration enforcement trend under Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government, which is trailing behind in polls ahead of the federal election expected next year.
This shift is seen by some as a response to growing public concern over immigration’s impact on housing shortages and high prices, issues that have become politically charged.
Although Canadians have welcomed newcomers but polls show a large section of people think the country is admitting too many immigrants.
What is Behind This New Development?
Although the Canadian government has not publicly acknowledged any specific policy changes driving this increase in visa rejections, but a spokesperson for the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) stated that “the CBSA’s role, policy, and practice has always been to assess the admissibility of persons coming to Canada. This has not changed.”
At the same time, Canada’s immigration department is approving fewer visas. The ratio of refused visitor visa applications to approved ones was higher in June than at any point since the height of the pandemic. In January, February, May and June 2024, more applications were refused than approved, according to immigration department data, according to a Reuters report.
On the student visa front, the immigration department has attributed the decline in study-permit approvals to a cap announced in January, although the decline began as early as last year.
How has the Move Impacted Foreign Workers?
The number of approved study and work permits has dropped from multi-year highs in 2023 and 2022, respectively. The decline is part of a broader effort by the government to reassess the number of people applying for permanent residency, a move that Immigration Minister Marc Miller described as a necessary step to address public concerns.
The government is also working on to scale back its Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) programme, which was criticized by a UN special rapporteur for being a “breeding ground for contemporary forms of slavery”.
Trudeau had announced that employers in sectors with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher will no longer be able to hire low-wage TFWs, except in certain “food security sectors” like agriculture and food processing.
Eight lawyers told Reuters they have heard from clients of greater scrutiny of visa-holders at airports and land border crossings.
How Many Indians Applied for Canadian Visa?
“Between 2013 and 2023, Indians immigrating to Canada rose from 32,828 to 139,715, an increase of 326%,” according to the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) analysis.
“Highly skilled foreign nationals, including international students, have been choosing Canada over America because it is difficult to gain H-1B status or permanent residence in the United States, and easy to work in temporary status and acquire permanent residence in Canada,” according to a NFAP, as quoted by Forbes.
Indian enrollment at Canadian universities rose more than 5,800% in the last two decades, from 2,181 in 2000 to 128,928 in 2021, an increase of 126,747 students.
Between 2016 and 2019, Indian international students enrolled in US universities dropped by 13% but increased by 182% at Canadian universities. Diplomatic issues between India and Canada have reduced Indian student visa approvals in the short term.
International student enrollment at Canadian universities rose from 62,223 in 2000 to 400,521 in 2021, increasing by 544%, according to the NFAP analysis. International student enrollment in America increased by 45% between 2000 and 2021.
What’s Next?
Opposition parties in Canada have accused the Liberal government of mismanaging the system. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, whose party currently leads in the polls, criticised the Trudeau government for growing the population at a rate far faster than the construction of new housing. Poilievre pledged to tie Canada’s population growth rate to a level below the number of houses built if his party wins the election.
In response, Trudeau defended his government’s immigration policies, stating, “Canada remains a place that is positive in its support for immigration, but also responsible in the way we integrate and make sure there’s pathways to success for everyone who comes to Canada”. However, he has hinted at reducing the number of permanent residents accepted each year.
