The federal government is pushing for the authority to invalidate applications for groups of visa holders, citing concerns about potential fraud from India and Bangladesh, as revealed in internal documents obtained by CBC News. A presentation to the immigration minister’s office outlined plans by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), and undisclosed U.S. partners to detect and nullify fraudulent visitor visa applications.

A collaborative effort between Canadian entities and U.S. partners has led to the establishment of a working group aiming to enhance the ability to reject and revoke visas, with a particular focus on addressing challenges specific to India and Bangladesh. The presentation discussed various scenarios where mass cancellation powers could be utilized, including during a pandemic, war, or concerning “country-specific visa holders.”

While Immigration Minister Lena Diab has publicly mentioned a pandemic or war as reasons for seeking these powers, the presentation sheds light on additional motivations behind Ottawa’s pursuit of mass cancellation powers. The provision was initially introduced as part of Bill C-2, the comprehensive border legislation, which has since been divided into two separate bills, with mass visa cancellation consolidated into C-12 for expedited passage.

Critics, including over 300 civil society groups like the Migrant Rights Network, have expressed apprehensions about the proposed legislation, cautioning that group cancellations could potentially enable the government to establish a large-scale deportation mechanism. Speculation has also arisen among immigration lawyers regarding whether the mass cancellation authority is being pursued to address the mounting backlog of applications.

According to the documents, asylum claims from Indian nationals surged from under 500 per month in May 2023 to around 2,000 by July 2024. The presentation highlighted that the verification process for temporary resident visa applications from India has led to delays in application processing, with the average processing time increasing from 30 days in July 2023 to 54 days a year later. Approval rates also declined in 2024 as resources were redirected to verification efforts, dropping from over 63,000 in January to approximately 48,000 in June.

Moreover, the document mentioned a rise in individuals denied boarding in India, with 1,873 applicants flagged for further scrutiny by July 31, 2024, receiving procedural fairness letters outlining their rights and potential legal options. Conversely, no data regarding claims from Bangladesh was included in the document.

In response to inquiries, IRCC emphasized that the proposed powers were not targeted at any specific group or situation and stated that decisions would not be made unilaterally. A separate memo from October 2024 urged the immigration minister to advocate for expanded visa cancellation powers without singling out individual countries, citing the benefits of enhancing security and mitigating document misuse risks.

Regarding immigration control measures, the Immigration Department highlighted efforts to reduce border volumes, enhance information sharing, and combat unauthorized entries. These initiatives, including increased scrutiny of temporary resident visa applications from countries with high abuse rates, contributed to a significant decrease in illegal U.S. border crossings by foreign nationals and a reduction in asylum claims from TRV holders, coupled with an uptick in visa fraud refusals.

While seeking enhanced cancellation powers, the government has also been working to improve relations with India, a country with which tensions have persisted since 2023. Recent diplomatic efforts, including engagements between Canadian and Indian officials and the renaming of high commissioners, indicate a mutual interest in strengthening bilateral ties.

Despite the ongoing developments, questions remain about the potential implications of the sought-after powers on Canada-India relations, with Global Affairs yet to provide insights on the matter.