加拿大減批簽證 每月被拒入境者逾3,700 創5年新高
路透社9月4日獨家報道，路透社取閱得到加拿大政府文件稱，該國在以減少批出簽證、減少訪客及臨時居民在境內逗留，並在海關拒絕更多人入境。
報道指，加拿大或在2025年10月舉行大選，而外來移民被指是導致國內房屋供應短缺以及樓價高企的原因，所以杜魯多政府大打「反移民牌」。
路透社根據尚未被報道過的加拿大邊境管理部門數據，該國7月拒絕5,853名外國旅客入境，其中包括學生、工人和遊客；這至少是2019年1月以來人數最多。
海關官員在2024年首7個月平均每月拒絕3,727人入境，較2023年同期增加633人、升幅20%。另外，數據顯示，7月有285名簽證持有人被官員拒絕入境，這也比2019年任何一個月都多。
加拿大簽發的學生和工作簽證數量，也分別自2023年和2022年的多年高位下降。
A Canada Border Services Agency spokesperson said changes in
findings of inadmissibility can be caused by migration patterns
or policy changes and are decided case by case. CBSA did not
identify any specific policy changes.
"The CBSA's role, policy, and practice has always been to
assess the admissibility of persons coming to Canada. This has
not changed," the spokesperson said.
At the same time, Canada's immigration department is
approving fewer visas.
The ratio of refused visitor visa applications to approved
ones was higher in June than at any point since the height of
the pandemic. In January, February, May and June 2024, more
applications were refused than approved, according to
immigration department data.
The number of approved study and work permits also dropped
from multi-year highs in 2023 and 2022, respectively.
"Canadians want a system that is not out of control,"
Immigration Minister Marc Miller said in August.
Miller's spokesperson said the immigration department was
"committed to a fair and non-discriminatory application of
immigration policy and procedures" and attributed the drop in
study-permit approvals to a cap announced in January. The
decline appears to have begun last year, however.
Eight lawyers told Reuters they have heard from clients of
greater scrutiny of visa-holders at airports and land border
crossings.
British Columbia lawyer Will Tao said he has represented
half a dozen visa-holders who border officials disbelieved about
the nature of their plans in Canada and suggested they turn back
voluntarily or risk deportation. Some did so, not knowing the
implications this could have for their visa or travel
authorization, including potential cancellation.
Tao sees increased border officer skepticism stemming from a
"180-degree" attitude shift on immigration from the
government.
The idea that foreigners are entering Canada without meeting
requirements, or are causing the country harm, is trickling down
from politicians to front-line officials, he added.
'YOUR TEMPORARY RESIDENT VISA IS NO LONGER VALID'
Mohammed Kamil Shaibu was paged while waiting to board a
connecting flight from Paris to Toronto last September on his
way to a conference in Edmonton.
The Ghanaian was told a Canadian immigration officer wanted
to talk to him. He was then quizzed over the phone about his
employment, the purpose of his trip and any assistance he had
received in filing his tourist visa application.
"I had trouble answering," he said in an interview. "I was
so terrified. I don't even know what I said."
Shaibu was told he would not be going to Canada. Instead, he
was asked to return to Accra.
"Your temporary-resident visa is no longer valid for travel
to Canada," reads an email reviewed by Reuters that Shaibu
received that day from the immigration department.
Canada should not grant visas it does not plan to honor,
said University of Calgary assistant law professor Gideon
Christian.
"Why accept people if, when they come, you're not going to
admit them?"
Shaibu says his experience has not soured him on Canada.
"I know Canada is a very nice place made up of very nice and
accommodating and hospitable people."
He says he may even try again to visit one day.
(Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; Editing by Caroline Stauffer
and Rod Nickel)