Canada is shutting its doors to foreign tourists and temporary residents by reducing visa issuance and returning a larger number of people who arrive at the border with valid documents. A government document has revealed that these measures are being taken to tighten Canada’s immigration policy.
With a general election scheduled for next year, the Liberal government led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is trailing in the polls. For this reason, the Trudeau government is trying to reduce the number of foreign travelers, temporary residents, and even permanent immigrants. Immigrants are currently being blamed for the housing crisis and rising rents in the country.
Canadians have historically welcomed new immigrants. However, a recent poll found that a growing number of Canadians believe the country is accepting too many immigrants. Observers say this sentiment is influencing decisions made by border and immigration officials.
In July, Canada denied entry to 5,853 travelers, including students, workers, and tourists from around the world. This is the highest number of people denied entry in a single month since January 2019.
Records show that border officials turned away an average of 3,727 foreign travelers in the first seven months of this year, a 20% increase or 633 more people compared to the same period last year.
Separately, Canadian officials deemed 285 visa holders ineligible to enter Canada in July. Statistics show that the rate of visa holders being deemed ineligible to enter Canada in July was the highest for any month since January 2019.
A spokesperson for the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has stated that the issue of being deemed inadmissible at the border could be due to changes in immigration types or policies. Additionally, the final decision on this matter is made based on the personal details of visa holders. However, the CBSA did not disclose whether any specific policy changes have occurred.
“The CBSA’s role, policies, and practices in assessing the admissibility of individuals entering Canada have always been subject to review. This has not changed,” the spokesperson said. At the same time, the Canadian Immigration department has recently reduced visa approvals.
The proportion of rejected visitor visa applications in the country last June was much higher compared to the rate of visa approvals. This means that the country’s visa rejection rate was higher in June than at any time since it reached its peak during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to data from the country’s immigration department, more visa applications were rejected than approved in January, February, May, and June of this year.
In August last year, the country’s Immigration Minister, Mark Miller, said, “Canadians want a system that is controlled.”
