Author: Azadeh Haidari-Garmash, RCIC
The approval rate for Canadian tourist visas for Indian applicants has seen a significant drop in recent months, plunging from a robust 80 per cent to a meagre 20 per cent, with Punjab-based aspirants facing the most rejection. This dramatic slump has sparked apprehension among potential travellers who are now grappling with increased unpredictability and unforeseen obstacles. The trend, which has been evident over the past several months, is further exacerbated by Canada's recent move to stop the automatic issuance of 10-year multiple-entry tourist visas to eligible candidates. This policy revision is set to add to the woes of frequent travellers, introducing new hurdles for those who previously banked on the ease and reliability of long-term visas.
This drop in approval rates, together with the discontinuation of the automatic 10-year visa, underscores a significant hardening of Canada's immigration policies. This leaves many Indian applicants in a predicament and sparks debates on the future of tourism travel to the country.
Even high-profile applicants, including affluent professionals, government functionaries, and families with considerable assets, are facing rejections on financial grounds, despite their robust financial safety nets in India. A case in point is a couple employed in a bank who wished to visit their son, a permanent resident in Canada, but faced rejection on financial grounds, although they boasted high salaries and owned valuable property in India.
Earlier, 8 in 10 applicants from India were granted this visa, but now, out of 25 applications, only one out of 10 applicants received visa approval.
So, what is behind the recent decline in tourist visa success rates?
Allegations of Border Misuse:
There has been an increase in incidents where travellers, particularly from India, are reportedly using Canada as a gateway to enter the United States. The perception that Canadian visitor visas are easier to acquire has led to their misuse for illicit border crossings. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported that over 5,000 Indians traversed from Canada into the U.S. on foot without appropriate documentation in June 2024 alone. Given the thousands of kilometres of open border between the two nations, these incidents have prompted Canada to exercise more caution when issuing long-term tourist visas, especially to applicants from high-volume countries like India.
Policy on Reducing Temporary Residents:
Canada has been tightening its policies to curb the number of temporary residents. Concerns have surfaced that many visitors with 10-year visas overstay or work illegally, leading immigration authorities to impose stricter scrutiny on new applicants.
Processing Delays and Backlogs:
The increasing delays in visa processing and a mounting backlog due to a surge in visa applications have also been contributory factors. As processing times lengthen, immigration officials seem to be enforcing more rigorous criteria, resulting in slower approvals and an increased rejection rate for those waiting months for decisions.
Strained Diplomatic Relations with India:
Political frictions between India and Canada, particularly following allegations implicating India in a high-profile murder case in Canada, have strained various facets of bilateral relations. While these tensions have not been officially linked to immigration policies, experts speculate that they could be swaying Canada's cautious stance on issuing long-term visas to Indian applicants.
