The Canadian government is aiming to enhance its ability to invalidate visa applications for groups of visa holders amid concerns of potential fraud primarily from India and Bangladesh, according to internal documents obtained by CBC News.
A departmental presentation to the immigration minister’s office revealed that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), and undisclosed U.S. partners are collaborating to detect and annul fraudulent visitor visa applications.
A working group comprising Canadian entities and U.S. partners is seeking expanded authorities to reject and cancel visas, with a focus on addressing challenges specific to India and Bangladesh, as highlighted in the presentation.
The presentation outlined hypothetical scenarios where mass cancellation powers could be utilized, including during a pandemic, war, and for country-specific visa holders.
Publicly, Immigration Minister Lena Diab cited a pandemic or war as reasons for pursuing these powers, without mentioning country-specific visa holders.
The proposal for mass cancellation powers was included in Bill C-2, the comprehensive border legislation, which has since been split into two bills, with mass visa cancellation incorporated into C-12 to expedite the legislative process.
Concerns have been raised by over 300 civil society groups regarding the legislation, with some expressing apprehension that group cancellations could enable the government to establish a “mass deportation machine.”
The motivation behind seeking mass cancellation powers has also been speculated by immigration lawyers, who question if it aims to help alleviate the increasing backlog of applications.
According to the documents, asylum claims from Indian nationals surged from under 500 per month in May 2023 to approximately 2,000 by July 2024. The verification of temporary resident visa applications from India has led to a slowdown in application processing.
The presentation indicated a rise in passengers from India being barred from boarding airplanes, with over 1,800 applicants flagged for further scrutiny as of July 31, 2024.
However, no information regarding claims from Bangladesh was provided in the document.
In response to inquiries, IRCC clarified that the new powers being proposed are not targeting specific groups or situations and decisions would not be unilateral.
Another document from October 2024 urged the immigration minister to advocate for additional visa cancellation powers without specifying any individual countries, emphasizing the importance of enhancing security measures and preventing document misuse.
The department stated that significant efforts have been made to control border volumes, enhance information sharing, and reduce fraudulent activities, resulting in a substantial decrease in illegal crossings and asylum claims.
While the federal government is seeking expanded powers, efforts are also being made to mend relations with India following previous tensions between the two countries.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Canada in June during the G7 summit signals a potential rekindling of the bilateral relationship, with both countries appointing new high commissioners to each other’s jurisdictions.
Global Affairs has yet to respond to queries regarding the potential impact of the proposed powers on India-Canada relations.