Canada is implementing stricter immigration policies, leading to a surge in visa rejections and border turnbacks, causing significant disruption for travellers and raising concerns about the fairness of the system.

According to government data obtained by Reuters, the number of foreign travellers being denied entry has risen dramatically, with border officers turning away more people than ever before. This trend coincides with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government’s efforts to lower the number of temporary residents and potentially permanent immigrants.

The government’s actions are driven by concerns about the impact of immigration on housing shortages and affordability, with “Canadians want a system that is not out of control” highlighting the growing public sentiment.

In July 2024, Canada refused entry to 5,853 foreign travellers, the highest number since at least 2019. Border officers also deemed 285 visa-holders inadmissible, also a record high. These figures suggest a tightening of border control measures, with fewer visas being approved and more travellers being denied entry.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller has acknowledged these changes, stating that “Canadians want a system that is not out of control.” The government attributes the decline in study permit approvals to a cap announced in January, but the trend appears to have begun last year.

Lawyers report increased scrutiny of visa-holders at airports and land border crossings, with some travellers facing unexpected difficulties and being asked to voluntarily return to their home countries.

For instance, British Columbia lawyer Will Tao said he has represented half a dozen visa-holders who border officials disbelieved about the nature of their plans in Canada and suggested they turn back voluntarily or risk deportation. Some did so, not knowing the implications this could have for their visa or travel authorisation, including potential cancellation.

Tao sees increased border officer scepticism stemming from a “180-degree” attitude shift on immigration from the government. The idea that foreigners are entering Canada without meeting requirements, or are causing the country harm, is trickling down from politicians to front-line officials, he added.

Mohammed Kamil Shaibu, a Ghanaian, was paged while waiting to board a connecting flight from Paris to Toronto last September on his way to a conference in Edmonton. He was told a Canadian immigration officer wanted to talk to him. He was then quizzed over the phone about his employment, the purpose of his trip, and any assistance he had received in filing his tourist visa application. “I had trouble answering,” he said in an interview. “I was so terrified. I don’t even know what I said.”

Shaibu was told he would not be going to Canada. Instead, he was asked to return to Accra. “Your temporary-resident visa is no longer valid for travel to Canada,” reads an email reviewed by Reuters that Shaibu received that day from the immigration department.

Canada should not grant visas it does not plan to honour, said University of Calgary assistant law professor Gideon Christian. “Why accept people if, when they come, you’re not going to admit them?” Shaibu says his experience has not soured him on Canada. “I know Canada is a very nice place made up of very nice and accommodating and hospitable people.” He says he may even try again to visit one day. (Reuters)

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