The Canadian government is working assiduously to clamp down on visitor visa holders who deliberately cut corners to extend their stay in Canada.
The Minister of Immigration, Marc Miller, spoke about the ongoing behavior, which is fast becoming the order of the day, in an interview with Global News, Canada.
"… we need to do a stronger job in making sure that people that are coming here, for example on visitor's visas, do so for those purposes and not for… claiming asylum or finding their way into the US," Miller said.
Addressing the loopholes
The alarming rate of crossings across the Canadian border and the United States of America is of significant concern despite the collaborative efforts between Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to stem cases of visa violators.
The report puts Canada's undefended border with the United States at 6,000 kilometers.
The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shows 21,929 migrant encounters between border posts on the American axis of the Canada-US border between October 2023 and August 2024
"We do see several people that are claiming asylum from India, from other countries, which are not getting a positive determination from the Immigration (and) Refugee Board, which is an indication to us that we have to take an increased look at how we accord visas in the first place," Miller said.
Canadian Parliament Hill
Impact on Locals
Minister Miller acknowledged the increase in international students, temporary workers, and asylum seekers and the economic consequences, which resulted in a high unemployment rate. He announced that a new Immigration plan would be unveiled on November 1 to include a two-year reduction in study permits, with the issuance of 437,000 study permits annually, indicating a 36% reduction from 2023 to control the volume of international students, permanent residents, and foreign workers.
Workable solutions
Some plausible solutions to check the violation rate include vigorous and more sustainable vetting processes, financial and travel history, biometrics, and exit controls for adequately monitoring and tracking violators. The government also considers substantial and more robust outcomes for violators, such as higher fines, criminal charges, and longer entry bans. It also finds engaging in partnerships with the violator's countries of origin for proper tracking processes.
Given the recent increase in asylum cases worldwide, the report also adds that the Canadian government announced multiple measures to "strengthen visa integrity and improve the asylum process. The minister also noted that the government is reviewing " visa decision-making protocols" to prepare immigration officers with efficient tools to detect fraud and reduce the number of unqualified visa applicants.
Minister Miller emphasized Canada's warm disposition towards newcomers but reiterated the importance of maintaining the "integrity and sustainability of Canada's immigration structure."