November 20th, 2024 at 11:07 am

Why Canada Reduced Tourist Stay Permits Months Before Ending 10-Year Visas | Canada PR

The success percentage of Indian applications for tourist visas to Canada has drastically decreased in recent months, falling from 80% to 20% or less, especially for those from Punjab. Prospective passengers are now dealing with increased uncertainty and unforeseen obstacles, which has caused them to become concerned.

This tendency, which has been evident for a few months, has been made worse by Canada’s recent decision to stop automatically issuing 10-year multiple-entry tourist visas to qualified applicants. This policy change is anticipated to further impact regular visitors, erecting more obstacles for people who previously depended on the security and predictability of long-term visas.

The drop in approvals and the termination of the automatic 10-year visa indicate a considerable tightening of Canada’s immigration regulations. This has left many Indian applicants in a difficult situation and raised concerns about the future of tourism in the nation.

How Many Indian Tourists Were Granted Visas to Canada?

For Indian tourist visa applications, the first half 2024 appeared hopeful despite tense Indo-Canada relations over the previous 12 months. Between January and July, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) granted 365,750 visitor visas to Indians, a significant rise over the 345,631 granted in 2023.

However, the success rate for Indian tourist visa applications fell precipitously in July and August, abruptly stopping this upward trend.

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Even high-profile candidates, such as government officials, well-paid professionals, and families with significant assets, have been rejected for financial reasons due to stricter standards, even though India has robust financial assistance networks. “Despite having high salaries and valuable property in India, a couple who worked in a bank were denied permission to visit their permanent resident (PR) son in Canada on financial grounds,” said Gurpreet Singh, a Canadian immigration specialist.

Singh continued by saying that even previous U.S. green card holders are now being turned down due to the increasingly erratic selection criteria for tourist visas. He pointed out that even after waiting up to four months, candidates are still rejected, and the success rate has severely decreased from 80% in early 2024 to less than 20% today. Singh clarified that “strong profiles are suddenly deemed insufficient, and the reasons for rejections are often vague.”

He claimed that formerly, eight out of ten Punjabi applicants were granted this visa; but, four months ago, he submitted the files of twenty-five people for tourist visas, and now that the results of ten have been out, only one of the ten has been granted a visa.

Would success rates for tourist visas remain impacted by the recent termination of the 10-year multiple-entry visa policy?

According to experts, approval rates will remain impacted by the termination of Canada’s automatic 10-year multiple-entry tourist visa. In the past, Indian applicants frequently chose this visa option, especially those with established travel records, family ties in Canada, and strong financial backgrounds. A very simple procedure made it easier to issue these visas.

Such visas now issued at the discretion of immigration agents make approvals much more selective. Previously relying on the ease of a 10-year visa, frequent visitors will now need to reapply for a tourist visa each time they want to visit Canada. This change is probably going to make things much more difficult.

Indian professionals and students are already facing difficulties as a result of the abrupt drop in approval rates. The 10-year visa frequently viewed this year as a substitute for individuals unsuccessful in obtaining long-term permits, such as student visas. These people now have fewer and less reliable entrance alternatives due to the withdrawal of tourist visas and the sharp decline in their success rates.

What are the causes of the recent drop in the success rates for tourist visas?

The steep drop in Indian applicants’ success rates for tourist visas attributed to several issues.

Border Misuse Allegations:

Reports of tourists using Canada as a transit country to enter the United States have increased, especially from India. Canada’s visitor visas, perceived as easier to obtain, seemed to facilitate illegal border crossings. In June 2024 alone, more than 5,000 Indians entered the United States illegally on foot from Canada, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Since the two nations’ open borders span thousands of kilometers. As a result of these occurrences, Canada is now more careful when it comes to issuing long-term tourist visas, especially to applicants from high-volume nations like India.

Reduction of Temporary Residents Policy:

To reduce the number of temporary residents, Canada has been strengthening its regulations. Due to worries that many tourists with 10-year visas overstay or work illegally, immigration officials are now scrutinizing new applications more closely.

Backlogs & Processing Delays:

A growing backlog brought on by a high volume of visa applications and processing delays has also contributed. Immigration officials seem to be using stricter criteria as processing durations lengthen, which results in slower approvals and a higher rejection percentage for people who must wait months for decisions.

Diplomatic Relations with India Currently Restricted:

Several aspects of bilateral ties ended up damaged by political tensions between India and Canada. This happened particularly following accusations of India involved in a high-profile assassination case in Canada. Although these issues aren’t directly related to immigration laws, analysts think they might be affecting Canada’s hesitancy to grant Indian applicants long-term visas.

Due to the combination of these variables, applications for tourist visas are being denied at previously unheard of rates. This makes it difficult for even the most qualified applicants to receive approval, according to experts.