Canada’s Draft Law to Cancel Visas in Bulk Raises Alarm Among Indian Applicants

Post by : Raina Nasser

Toronto – Canada is weighing legislation that would allow authorities to void batches of visas at once, a proposal that has drawn sharp criticism from civil society organisations and anxious visa seekers, particularly those from India.

Internal documents indicate that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and allied US agencies have set up a working group tasked with identifying and cancelling what they see as fraudulent visa applications, with a focus on applicants from India and Bangladesh.

The measure would grant immigration officials the ability to carry out “mass cancellations” in defined crisis scenarios such as pandemics, armed conflict or other country-specific problems. Civil rights advocates warn the power could be used in ways that target particular nationalities.

More than 300 civil society organisations have publicly opposed the proposal, cautioning it could morph into a “mass deportation machine” and weaken established due-process safeguards. Some immigration lawyers also say the government may be looking to use the authority to accelerate resolution of a growing visa backlog rather than solely to fight fraud.

The announcement comes amid a sharp rise in refusals for Indian study permits. In August alone roughly 74 percent of Indian student visa applications were turned down — nearly three in four applicants.

India has been Canada’s top source of international students for years, but ties have become strained after recent policy changes. Processing times for Indian temporary resident visas have increased substantially, moving from about 30 days in mid-2023 to roughly 54 days by mid-2024.

Data also show a large jump in asylum claims from Indian nationals, rising from fewer than 500 monthly in May 2023 to almost 2,000 by July 2024. In response, Canadian agencies have tightened document checks and other verifications, which critics say has contributed to more refusals and processing delays.

The federal government has tabled the bill in Parliament and is pressing for prompt approval. An immigration ministerial spokesperson defended the need for emergency powers in crisis scenarios while declining to detail how the law would guard against country-specific application.

As debate unfolds in Ottawa, many prospective Indian students and other visa applicants are watching closely, worried that the proposed changes could derail plans to study or work in Canada.