The federal government is in the process of acquiring the authority to invalidate visa applications for groups of visa holders, particularly from India and Bangladesh, due to concerns regarding potential fraud. Internal documents obtained by CBC News reveal that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), in collaboration with undisclosed U.S. partners, are working towards identifying and annulling fraudulent visitor visa applications.
A presentation to the immigration minister’s office outlined the efforts of Canadian entities and U.S. partners to strengthen their capabilities in refusing and canceling visas, specifically highlighting India and Bangladesh as facing “country-specific challenges.” The presentation also discussed hypothetical scenarios for employing mass cancellation powers, such as during a pandemic, war, or concerning country-specific visa holders.
Immigration Minister Lena Diab has publicly cited reasons like a pandemic or war for seeking these powers, omitting mention of country-specific visa holders. The presentation sheds light on Ottawa’s rationale for pursuing mass cancellation powers.
The proposal was introduced in Parliament as part of Bill C-2, the comprehensive border legislation, which has since been divided into two parts, with mass visa cancellation integrated into C-12, aiming for swift approval by the government.
Over 300 civil society groups have expressed apprehensions about the legislation, with concerns raised by organizations like the Migrant Rights Network about the potential establishment of a “mass deportation machine.” There are speculations among immigration lawyers that the mass cancellation authority might be sought to address the increasing application backlog faced by the federal government.
According to the documents, asylum claims from Indian nationals surged from fewer than 500 monthly in May 2023 to around 2,000 by July 2024. The verification process for temporary resident visa applications from India led to a delay in application processing, with the average processing time increasing from 30 days in July 2023 to 54 days a year later. Approval rates also declined in 2024 as more resources were allocated to verification efforts.
Furthermore, the presentation highlighted a rise in incidents of passengers from India being denied boarding on airplanes since the summer of 2024. By July 31 of that year, 1,873 applicants were identified for further questioning, receiving procedural fairness letters detailing their rights and legal recourse.
The document did not provide data on claims from Bangladesh. Last month, IRCC clarified that the new powers were not proposed with any specific group or situation in mind, emphasizing that decisions would not be unilateral.
Additionally, a memorandum from October 2024 urged the immigration minister to advocate for expanded visa cancellation powers without singling out any specific countries. It underscored the benefits of canceling temporary resident documents in reducing security risks and preventing potential misuse.
CBC News reached out to Diab’s office, the Immigration Department, and Global Affairs for comments on the documents. The Immigration Department stated that it has implemented measures to minimize unnecessary border traffic, enhance information sharing, and reduce fraudulent entries, resulting in a significant decrease in illegal U.S. crossings into Canada.
The department reported a notable decline in asylum claims from temporary resident visa holders and an increase in visa refusals due to fraud. However, it did not directly address questions regarding the specific focus on Bangladesh and India in the internal presentation or why the scenario of mass cancellation for country-specific cases was not disclosed.
IRCC emphasized that each use of mass cancellation powers would be subject to approval by the Governor in Council and would be transparently published in the Canada Gazette to justify the decision’s public interest, affected parties, exceptions, refunds, and other relevant considerations.
While pursuing these powers, the federal government is also working to mend relations with India, which have been strained since 2023 due to allegations raised by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau against Indian government agents. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Canada in June marked a step towards revitalizing the bilateral relationship, with both countries appointing new high commissioners and expressing a desire to strengthen ties.
Global Affairs has not responded to queries about the potential impact of the sought-after powers on Canada-India relations.