Canada turning away more foreigners, approving fewer visas in border crackdown

The spike in rejections of foreign travellers comes as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government tries to lower the numbers of temporary residents

Toronto: Canada is closing its doors to more visitors and temporary residents by approving fewer visas and turning away more people who reach its borders with official documents, according to government data obtained by Reuters.

The spike in rejections of foreign travellers comes as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government, trailing in polls ahead of an election expected next year, tries to lower the numbers of temporary residents - and possibly permanent immigrants. Migrants have been blamed for the shortage and high prices of housing.

Canadians have prided themselves on embracing newcomers but polls show a growing number say Canada is admitting too many immigrants. That stance is filtering down to border and immigration officers, observers say. In July, Canada refused entry to 5,853 foreign travellers, who were "allowed to leave," as Canada puts it, and who include students, workers and tourists, the most since at least January 2019, according to border agency data that has not been previously reported.

Border officers turned away 3,727 foreign travellers per month on average through the first seven months of 2024, an increase of 633 people or 20% from a year earlier.

Separately, officers deemed 285 visa-holders inadmissible in July, also the most in any month since at least January 2019, the data showed. A Canada Border Services Agency spokesperson said changes in findings of inadmissibility can be caused by migration patterns or policy changes and are decided case by case. CBSA did not identify any specific policy changes.

"The CBSA's role, policy, and practice has always been to assess the admissibility of persons coming to Canada. This has not changed," the spokesperson said.

At the same time, Canada's immigration department is approving fewer visas.

The ratio of refused visitor visa applications to approved ones was higher in June than at any point since the height of the pandemic. In January, February, May and June 2024, more applications were refused than approved, according to immigration department data.

The number of approved study and work permits also dropped from multi-year highs in 2023 and 2022, respectively. "Canadians want a system that is not out of control," Immigration Minister Marc Miller said in August. Miller's spokesperson said the immigration department was "committed to a fair and non-discriminatory application of immigration policy and procedures" and attributed the drop in study-permit approvals to a cap announced in January. The decline appears to have begun last year, however.

Eight lawyers told Reuters they have heard from clients of greater scrutiny of visa-holders at airports and land border crossings.

British Columbia lawyer Will Tao said he has represented half a dozen visa-holders who border officials disbelieved about the nature of their plans in Canada and suggested they turn back voluntarily or risk deportation. Some did so, not knowing the implications this could have for their visa or travel authorization, including potential cancellation.

Tao sees increased border officer skepticism stemming from a "180-degree" attitude shift on immigration from the government.

The idea that foreigners are entering Canada without meeting requirements, or are causing the country harm, is trickling down from politicians to front-line officials, he added.

'YOUR TEMPORARY RESIDENT VISA IS NO LONGER VALID'

Mohammed Kamil Shaibu was paged while waiting to board a connecting flight from Paris to Toronto last September on his way to a conference in Edmonton.

The Ghanaian was told a Canadian immigration officer wanted to talk to him. He was then quizzed over the phone about his employment, the purpose of his trip and any assistance he had received in filing his tourist visa application.

"I had trouble answering," he said in an interview. "I was so terrified. I don't even know what I said."

Shaibu was told he would not be going to Canada. Instead, he was asked to return to Accra.

"Your temporary-resident visa is no longer valid for travel to Canada," reads an email reviewed by Reuters that Shaibu received that day from the immigration department.

Canada should not grant visas it does not plan to honor, said University of Calgary assistant law professor Gideon Christian.

"Why accept people if, when they come, you're not going to admit them?"

Shaibu says his experience has not soured him on Canada.

"I know Canada is a very nice place made up of very nice and accommodating and hospitable people."

He says he may even try again to visit one day.