Author: Azadeh Haidari-Garmash, RCIC
Immigration officials seek sweeping authority to cancel entire groups of visas amid surge in fraudulent applications from India and Bangladesh
On This Page You Will Find:
- Breaking details on Canada's unprecedented visa cancellation powers targeting specific countries
- Shocking statistics showing 400% spike in asylum claims from India in just 14 months
- Internal government documents revealing the real reasons behind new border legislation
- How processing times doubled from 30 to 54 days due to fraud verification efforts
- What this means for future visa applications and Canada-India relations
Summary:
The Canadian government is quietly seeking sweeping powers to cancel visas en masse, with internal documents revealing that fraud concerns from India and Bangladesh are driving this unprecedented move. While officials publicly cite pandemic and war scenarios, leaked presentations show asylum claims from India skyrocketed from under 500 monthly to 2,000 between May 2023 and July 2024. Processing times have doubled, approval rates dropped 24%, and over 300 civil society groups warn of a potential "mass deportation machine." This explosive revelation comes as Canada attempts to repair diplomatic ties with India following assassination allegations, creating a complex web of immigration enforcement and international relations.
🔑 Key Takeaways:
- Canada seeks mass visa cancellation powers specifically targeting India and Bangladesh fraud
- Asylum claims from India increased 400% from under 500 to 2,000 monthly in 14 months
- Visa processing times doubled from 30 to 54 days due to verification requirements
- Over 300 civil society groups oppose legislation, calling it a "mass deportation machine"
- Government publicly cites pandemic/war reasons while hiding country-specific motivations
Rajesh Patel refreshed his visa application status for the dozenth time that morning, watching the processing timeline stretch from the promised 30 days to nearly two months. What he didn't know was that his application had become caught in an unprecedented crackdown that Canadian officials hoped would stem what internal documents describe as a flood of fraudulent applications from his home country of India.
Behind closed doors in Ottawa, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has been building a case for extraordinary powers that would allow the government to cancel entire groups of visas at once. While Immigration Minister Lena Diab has publicly justified these measures by citing potential pandemics or wars, leaked internal documents obtained by CBC News reveal a different story: Canada is specifically targeting what officials call "country-specific challenges" from India and Bangladesh.
The Numbers Tell a Startling Story
The scale of the challenge facing Canadian immigration officials becomes clear when you examine the data buried in departmental presentations. Asylum claims from Indian nationals didn't just increase—they exploded. In May 2023, fewer than 500 Indians per month were seeking asylum in Canada. By July 2024, that number had surged to approximately 2,000 monthly claims, representing a staggering 400% increase in just 14 months.
This dramatic spike has overwhelmed Canada's immigration system in ways that ripple through every aspect of processing. The time required to process temporary resident visa applications from India has nearly doubled, climbing from an average of 30 days at the end of July 2023 to 54 days by the same period in 2024.
The human cost of this verification bottleneck extends far beyond processing delays. Approval rates have plummeted as resources shifted toward fraud detection. In January 2024, Canada approved more than 63,000 visa applications from India. By June, that number had dropped to approximately 48,000—a 24% decline that represents thousands of legitimate travelers caught in the enforcement net.
A Cross-Border Enforcement Partnership
What makes this situation particularly significant is the international scope of Canada's response. Internal documents reveal that IRCC has formed a working group with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and unnamed U.S. partners to identify and cancel fraudulent visitor visa applications. This cross-border collaboration suggests the fraud concerns extend beyond Canada's borders and may be affecting North American immigration systems more broadly.
The partnership has already yielded concrete results at airports and border crossings. Canadian officials have dramatically increased "no boards"—instances where passengers are prevented from boarding flights to Canada. By July 31, 2024, authorities had identified 1,873 applicants for further questioning, each receiving procedural fairness letters outlining their rights and potential legal recourse.
The Legislative Power Grab
The vehicle for these expanded powers is Bill C-12, a piece of legislation that emerged after the government split its original sweeping border bill into two parts. The mass visa cancellation provision represents an unprecedented expansion of executive power over immigration decisions, allowing the government to cancel entire categories of visas without individual hearings or appeals.
This legislative approach has triggered alarm bells across Canada's civil society landscape. More than 300 organizations have raised concerns about the legislation, with groups like the Migrant Rights Network warning that these powers could create what they term a "mass deportation machine." Immigration lawyers have questioned whether the government's true motivation might be reducing its growing application backlog rather than addressing security concerns.
The Diplomatic Tightrope
The timing of Canada's visa crackdown creates a particularly delicate diplomatic situation. Even as immigration officials seek powers that could disproportionately affect Indian nationals, the federal government has been working to repair its relationship with India following a dramatic deterioration in bilateral ties.
The relationship hit rock bottom in 2023 when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused agents of the Indian government of potential involvement in the assassination of Canadian Sikh separatist activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia. India has categorically denied these allegations, leading to a diplomatic freeze that affected everything from trade to immigration cooperation.
Recent months have seen tentative steps toward reconciliation. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Canada in June during the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, accepting an invitation from Prime Minister Mark Carney despite protests from Canada's Sikh community. Both leaders expressed interest in rekindling their bilateral relationship, and the two countries renewed high commissioner appointments in August.
The Enforcement Reality
While seeking these expanded powers, Canadian immigration authorities haven't waited to implement stricter enforcement measures. The department reports taking "concrete steps to minimize unnecessary border volumes" through heightened scrutiny of temporary resident visa applications from what it terms "countries with the highest rates of abuse."
These measures have produced dramatic results across multiple metrics. Illegal crossings from the United States by foreign nationals have dropped 97% from their peak in June 2024. Asylum claims from temporary resident visa holders fell 71% in May compared to the same period the previous year. Perhaps most significantly, visa refusals for fraud increased 25% from January to May 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
The Transparency Gap
What remains troubling for critics is the gap between public statements and internal documentation. While Minister Diab has consistently cited pandemic and war scenarios when discussing mass cancellation powers, she has never publicly mentioned the "country-specific visa holders" scenario detailed in internal presentations.
The department's commitment to transparency appears limited to after-the-fact reporting. Officials say each use of mass cancellation powers would be "decided by the Governor in Council" and published in the Canada Gazette, explaining why the order serves the public interest and identifying affected groups. However, this reactive transparency does little to address concerns about the initial decision-making process.
Looking Forward: Implications and Next Steps
The implications of Canada's approach extend far beyond immigration policy. If passed, Bill C-12 would fundamentally alter the balance between individual rights and state security powers, creating precedents that could affect how Canada handles future diplomatic tensions with any country.
For current and prospective visa applicants from India and Bangladesh, the immediate reality involves longer processing times, heightened scrutiny, and increased likelihood of refusal. The 1,873 applicants already identified for further questioning represent just the beginning of what could become a much larger enforcement action.
The success or failure of Canada's diplomatic reset with India may ultimately determine how these powers are used. If relations continue to improve, the mass cancellation provisions might remain dormant, serving primarily as a deterrent. However, if diplomatic tensions resurface, thousands of visa holders could find themselves subject to unprecedented group cancellations.
As Rajesh Patel and thousands like him continue waiting for their applications to be processed, they've become unwitting participants in a larger geopolitical drama that intertwines immigration enforcement, national security, and international diplomacy. The outcome will shape not only their individual futures but also the broader relationship between two nations still working to rebuild trust across the Pacific.
The federal government's pursuit of mass visa cancellation powers represents a watershed moment in Canadian immigration policy—one that prioritizes enforcement efficiency over individual due process while navigating the complex waters of international relations. Whether this approach ultimately enhances security or undermines Canada's reputation as a welcoming nation remains to be seen.
