Canada Seeks Special Authority to Mass-Cancel Visas of Bangladeshi and Indian Nationals

The Canadian government is seeking authority to revoke large numbers of visas issued to foreigners, citing increasing incidents of fraud in visa applications from Bangladesh and India.

According to a report published by a Canadian media outlet, internal government documents reveal that officials from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) have formed a working group with U.S. partners. The group’s goal is to identify and cancel fraudulent travel visa applications and to expand their legal powers to do so.

The internal documents describe India and Bangladesh as “specific challenging countries” and highlight the need for enhanced authority to handle related issues.

The list of potential uses for mass-cancellation powers includes “visa holders from specific countries.”

However, Immigration Minister Lena Diab has publicly stated that the proposed powers are meant only for exceptional situations such as pandemics or wars, without naming any particular country.

Concerns Over the Law

A proposal titled “Bill C–12” has been introduced in Parliament to grant this authority, which the government aims to pass soon.

More than 30 civil society organizations have raised concerns over the proposal. Groups like the Migrant Rights Network have warned that it could give the government a tool for “mass deportations.”

Immigration lawyers have also expressed doubts, questioning whether the government’s true motive is simply to reduce application backlogs.

However, IRCC informed the media last month that the proposal was not designed to target “any specific group or situation.”

‘Firm Steps’ on Immigration Control

In a statement, the immigration department said it has taken “firm measures” to reduce unnecessary border congestion and to curb fake tourists and illegal crossings.

The department claimed that stricter monitoring of temporary residence visa (TRV) applications from countries with the “highest rates of misuse” has reduced illegal border crossings from the U.S. into Canada by 97 percent since June last year.

It also reported a 25 percent increase in visa cancellations due to fraud compared to the same period last year.

However, the authorities did not directly answer media questions about why Bangladesh and India were specifically mentioned in the internal documents.

Khaborwala/TSN