The federal government is looking to gain the authority to invalidate visa applications for groups of visa holders, citing concerns about fraudulent activities primarily from India and Bangladesh, as revealed in internal documents acquired by CBC News. A presentation to the immigration minister’s office highlighted the collaborative efforts of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), and undisclosed U.S. partners to detect and annul deceptive visitor visa submissions.
A joint effort between Canadian agencies and U.S. allies has led to the formation of a task force to enhance capabilities in rejecting and annulling visas, with a focus on addressing challenges specific to India and Bangladesh. The presentation outlined potential scenarios for utilizing mass cancellation powers, including situations like pandemics, wars, and instances involving country-specific visa holders.
While Immigration Minister Lena Diab has publicly mentioned the reasons for seeking these powers as related to pandemics and wars, the emphasis on country-specific visa holders was not disclosed. The presentation sheds light on Ottawa’s rationale for pursuing these mass cancellation powers, which were proposed under Bill C-2, the comprehensive border legislation, later separated into C-12 for expedited processing.
Concerns have been raised by over 300 civil society groups regarding the legislation, with some expressing apprehensions that group cancellations could pave the way for establishing a “mass deportation machine.” Speculations among immigration lawyers suggest that the mass cancellation authority could be aimed at addressing the mounting backlog of applications.
Notably, the document highlighted a surge in asylum claims by Indian nationals, with verification processes for temporary resident visa applications from India causing delays in application processing. The presentation detailed an increase in processing times and a decline in approvals as resources were directed towards verification efforts.
While data on claims from Bangladesh was not provided in the document, actions to strengthen controls on immigration and minimize fraudulent activities have led to significant reductions in illegal border crossings and asylum claims. The department emphasized its efforts to scrutinize visa applications from countries with high abuse rates, resulting in notable declines in illegal border crossings and asylum claims from visa holders.
As the government pursues additional visa cancellation powers, efforts to mend relations with India have also been underway, following strained ties since allegations in 2023. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Canada in June marked a shift towards rekindling bilateral relations, signaling a potential thaw in the strained relationship.
The department’s pursuit of enhanced visa cancellation powers coincides with diplomatic efforts to restore ties with India, with ongoing discussions to address the impact of these powers on bilateral relations still pending clarification from Global Affairs.