Canada Seeks the Authority to Mass-Cancel Visas of Bangladeshis and Indians

ছবিঃ সংগৃহীত

News Desk:
The Canadian government is seeking the authority to mass-cancel visas for foreign nationals, citing alleged incidents of visa fraud originating from India and Bangladesh as the main reason behind this move.

According to a report by CBC News, internal documents obtained by the outlet reveal that officials from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) have formed a working group with U.S. partners. The group’s goal is to identify and cancel fraudulent travel visa applications and to expand their authority in this regard.

The internal government documents describe India and Bangladesh as “specifically challenging countries”, emphasizing the need for enhanced powers.
The list of possible applications for such mass-cancellation powers includes the option to target “visa holders from specific countries.”

However, publicly, Immigration Minister Lena Diab has stated that the proposed authority is intended for use only in pandemic or wartime situations, without mentioning any specific countries.

Concerns over the proposed law

This power is included in a legislative proposal titled Bill C-12, which has been introduced in Parliament. The government hopes to pass it quickly.

More than 30 civil society organizations have expressed concern about the bill. Groups such as the Migrant Rights Network have warned that granting such mass-cancellation powers could effectively create a “mass deportation mechanism.”

Immigration lawyers have also questioned whether the government’s real motive behind seeking this authority is to reduce visa processing backlogs.

However, the IRCC told CBC last month that the proposal was not designed with any specific groups or situations in mind.

Firm Measures to Control Immigration

In a statement, the Immigration Department said it has taken “firm measures” to reduce unnecessary congestion at the borders and curb the entry of fake tourists and illegal crossings.

The department claimed that enhanced scrutiny of Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) applications from countries with the highest rates of abuse has led to a 97% reduction in illegal entries into Canada across the U.S. border since June of last year.

The statement also noted that, compared to the same period last year, the rate of visa cancellations due to fraud has increased by 25%.

However, when CBC News asked why Bangladesh and India were specifically mentioned in the internal documents, the authorities did not provide a direct response.