Canada seeks powers to cancel visas amid fraud concerns from India, Bangladesh: Report
Internal documents show officials linking proposal to 'country-specific challenges' despite public statements citing only emergencies
ISTANBUL
Canada is seeking powers to revoke large numbers of visas partly because of concerns about fraudulent applications from India and Bangladesh, according to a report by CBC News that cited internal government documents.
The documents, obtained by CBC, show the Canadian Immigration Department and Border Services Agency have been working with unidentified US partners to identify and cancel suspicious visitor visa applications. A departmental presentation to the immigration minister’s office reportedly described India and Bangladesh as “country-specific challenges.”
The presentation suggested that such powers could be used during events like pandemics, wars, or for “country-specific visa holders.”
Immigration Minister Lena Diab has said the government is seeking mass cancellation authority mainly to deal with emergencies such as pandemics or conflicts, without mentioning any particular countries, CBC reported.
The proposal is included in Bill C-12, a section of Canada’s broader border and immigration reform legislation. Ottawa has been urging parliament to adopt the bill quickly, saying it would help manage security risks and prevent abuse of the visa system.
CBC in its report Monday said the documents also show that officials have become increasingly concerned about a rise in fraudulent visa applications from India. The number of asylum claims filed by Indian nationals reportedly rose from fewer than 500 a month in May 2023 to around 2,000 by July 2024.
The presentation said additional verification of temporary resident visa applications from India had slowed processing times, which rose from 30 days in mid-2023 to 54 days a year later.
Visa approvals fell from more than 63,000 in January to about 48,000 by June 2024.
The Immigration Department told CBC that the new authority is not intended to target any specific nationality and all decisions would be made in line with Canadian law.
It said Canada has taken “concrete steps” to reduce fraudulent visa activity and illegal border crossings, including stricter screening of visa applications from countries with high rates of abuse.
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