Post by : Rameen Ariff

Toronto – Ottawa is moving toward legislation that would empower officials to cancel batches of visas simultaneously, a proposal prompting concern among visa seekers and civil liberties groups, especially in India.

Internal papers indicate Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), working with US partners, have set up a task force to spot and annul suspected fraudulent visa applications from countries including India and Bangladesh.

The draft law would allow broad "mass cancellation" authority during emergencies such as pandemics, armed conflicts or acute country-specific problems. Critics worry those broad powers could be applied unevenly and single out certain nationalities.

More than 300 civil society organisations have objected to the measure, warning it risks creating a "mass deportation machine" and eroding procedural safeguards. Immigration lawyers say the move could also be aimed at trimming a swelling visa backlog, not only fighting fraud.

The measure arrives amid a sharp rise in denials for Indian student permits: in August roughly 74 percent of applications from India were rejected, nearly three in four applicants.

India has been the top source of foreign students for Canada for years, yet diplomatic strains have grown after recent policy changes. Processing times for Indian temporary resident visas climbed from about 30 days in mid-2023 to 54 days by mid-2024.

Government figures also show asylum claims from Indian nationals jumping from below 500 per month in May 2023 to almost 2,000 by July 2024. Officials say tougher document checks and scrutiny have resulted in more refusals and longer delays.

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s administration has tabled the bill in Parliament seeking expedited approval. Immigration Minister Lena Diab has defended the powers as necessary for crisis response, though she has not assuaged fears about nationality-based targeting.

As Ottawa debates the proposal, many Indian students and prospective migrants are watching nervously, worried that the new rules could upend plans to study or work in Canada.

#Travel, #World