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Canada has reformed its visa policy by eliminating the 10-year multiple-entry visa and allowing shorter visas based on individual assessments rather than long-term requirements. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said the policy changes are part of a broader strategy aimed at managing temporary immigration levels, combating the housing shortage and curbing the rising cost of living. Another trend is that Canada has reduced the number of tourist visas for Indian applicants, particularly from Punjab, and the success rate has dropped from 80% to less than 20%. Despite tensions in India-Canada relations, Canada has issued its number of tourist visas to Indians in the first half of 2024. From January to July, IRCC issued 365,750 tourist visas to Indians, up from 345,631 during the same period in 2023.
However, the trend reversed in July and August as highly paid professionals, civil servants and high-income families faced rejection for economic reasons. India is also the largest source of temporary foreign workers and students coming to Canada. Experts say the eligibility criteria for issuing visas to Indians has become unpredictable. Canada now has just four immigration officers in India, down from 27 in October 2023. Immigration Minister Mark Miller said this would impact Canada's ability to process visas locally. There are other factors that may contribute to the decline in visa issuance.
Border abuse: Indian travelers are increasingly using the border to enter the US illegally. Due to stricter U.S. government visa regulations and longer wait times, it is easier for visa applicants from Canada to enter the U.S. illegally across a shared open border. According to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), more than 5,000 Indians entered the US on foot from Canada without proper documents in June 2024 alone.
Delays and Backlogs: The large volume of applications also led to delays in visa processing. Visa officers may apply greater restrictions, resulting in higher rejection rates.
Domestic concerns: Canada is tightening its immigration policies to address domestic economic concerns. The country wants to limit the number of temporary residents and authorities examine each applicant.
India-Canada standoff: The bitter rift between the two countries was exacerbated by the killings of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Parliament last October and Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Najjar outside a gurdwara in Surrey in June, involving Indian government officials. tightened. 2023. Although there is officially no connection between the visa issue and the incident in Niger, experts believe that the tensions could force Canada to take all possible measures. Visa issuance.
Under the new rules, multiple-entry visas with maximum validity will no longer be common. Visa officers consider each applicant individually and decide whether to issue a single or multiple entry visa. “The guidance has been updated to indicate that maximum validity multiple entry visas are no longer a standard document. "Authorities have discretion to issue single or multiple entry visas and determine their validity period," IRCC said.
Single and multiple entry visas to Canada cost CAD 100 per person. There is no difference in the cost of the two visas. The government also revised its immigration status plan, lowering the target from 500,000 new permanent residents to 395,000 in 2025, 380,000 in 2026 and 365,000 in 2027. This was said by Ranhirwal, the Monitoring Officer of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The well-being of students and professionals working in Canada. The IEA said it was "concerned about their safety". Canadian Deputy Foreign Minister David Morrison accused Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah of ordering violence, intimidation and intelligence against Sikh separatists. Canada, the Associated Press reports. The Indian government called the Canadian minister's comments "absurd and baseless".
