Why is Canada suddenly rejecting more visitor visas?

In recent months, Canada has seen a significant increase in the rejection of visitor visas, raising concerns and speculation about the underlying reasons. According to government data obtained by Reuters, the number of foreign travellers denied entry at Canadian borders has surged, marking the highest rejection rates since at least 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 per cent increase from the previous year.

The spike in rejections coincides with a broader trend of stricter immigration enforcement under Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government. With a federal election on the horizon and the government trailing in polls, there appears to be a concerted effort to reduce the number of temporary residents and possibly permanent immigrants.

More from Explainers

How ChatGPT is becoming everyone’s BFF and why that’s dangerous This Week in Explainers: How recovering from Gen-Z protests is a Himalayan task for Nepal

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.

How is Canada rejecting visas?

Border officers have also intensified their scrutiny of visa holders at airports and land crossings. British Columbia lawyer Will Tao noted that he has represented several clients who were disbelieved by border officials regarding the nature of their plans in Canada.

These travellers were often given the option to turn back voluntarily or risk deportation, with some choosing to return without fully understanding the potential consequences for their visa status.

Impact Shorts

More Shorts

Ghaziabad woman dead, pilgrims attacked in bus… How Nepal’s Gen-Z protests turned into a living hell for Indian tourists

Were bodyguards involved in Charlie Kirk’s shooting? The many conspiracies surrounding the killing

“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,” Tao told Reuters. This sentiment reflects a broader “180-degree” shift in the government’s approach to immigration, leading to increased skepticism and stricter enforcement at the border.

What may be behind this development?

The Canadian government has not publicly acknowledged any specific policy changes driving this increase in visa rejections. However, 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.”

The immigration department has similarly attributed the drop in study-permit approvals to a cap announced in January, although the decline began as early as last year.

Public opinion on immigration in Canada has shifted notably in recent years, with polls indicating that an increasing number of Canadians believe the country is admitting too many immigrants.

This change in sentiment appears to be influencing immigration officials, who are now rejecting more applications than they approve.

In June 2024, the ratio of refused visitor visa applications to approved ones reached its highest point since the height of the pandemic. In several months of 2024, including January, February, May, and June, more applications were refused than approved.

Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller acknowledged the public’s concerns, stating, “Canadians want a system that is not out of control.” He also mentioned that the immigration department is “committed to a fair and non-discriminatory application of immigration policy and procedures.”

How has this move impacted foreign workers?

The increased rejection rates are not limited to visitor visas but extend to other forms of temporary residency, including study and work permits. The number of approved study and work permits has dropped from multi-year highs in 2023 and 2022, respectively.

This 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 Miller described as a necessary step to address public concerns.

At the same time, the government is also scaling back the controversial Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program. Trudeau announced that employers in sectors with an unemployment rate of 6 per cent or higher will no longer be able to hire low-wage TFWs, except in certain “food security sectors” like agriculture and food processing.

The program, which was recently criticised by a UN special rapporteur for being a “breeding ground for contemporary forms of slavery,” has seen a significant increase in usage across various sectors, with the number of TFWs hired in the healthcare sector rising by more than 15,000 per cent since 2018.

What next?

With a federal election due within the next year, immigration has become a major political issue, with opposition parties accusing 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 also hinted at potential reductions in the number of permanent residents accepted each year, signalling a possible shift in policy after years of increasing immigration levels.

With inputs from agencies