Ottawa Pushes for Mass Visa Cancellation Powers
The federal government is moving to secure broad visa cancellation powers, citing the need to combat fraudulent visa applications from India and Bangladesh, according to newly obtained internal documents reviewed by CBC News.
While Immigration Minister Lena Diab has publicly said the proposal is meant for emergencies like pandemics or war, internal briefings reveal that country-specific fraud was a driving factor. The plan forms part of the government’s border legislation, first introduced as Bill C-2 and later split into two, with the visa provision now housed in Bill C-12, which Ottawa hopes to fast-track through Parliament.
Fraud and Delays Fuel Policy Shift
The internal presentation to the minister’s office shows that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), and unnamed U.S. partners have formed a working group to detect and cancel fraudulent visa applications. India and Bangladesh were flagged as posing “country-specific challenges.”
The documents also highlighted a surge in fraud-related slowdowns within India. By July 2024, the average visa processing time had jumped from 30 to 54 days, while approval rates fell from 63,000 in January to 48,000 by June.
The report noted a rise in “no-board incidents,” where travelers were stopped from boarding flights due to suspected fraud. By the end of July 2024, 1,873 passengers from India had been flagged and sent letters outlining their rights and potential legal recourse.
Asylum claims from Indian nationals also skyrocketed — from fewer than 500 per month in mid-2023 to about 2,000 by July 2024. No equivalent data was provided for Bangladesh.
Ottawa Defends Move Amid Criticism
The government insists that the proposed powers are not aimed at any particular country. In a statement, IRCC said decisions under the new powers would “not be taken unilaterally” and would require approval from the Governor in Council. Each mass cancellation order would be published in the Canada Gazette, explaining its scope, rationale, and any exceptions.
Still, critics are pushing back hard. Over 300 civil society groups have warned that such powers could effectively create a “mass deportation machine.” Immigration lawyers also fear the move could allow Ottawa to reduce visa backlogs by sweeping away pending applications without due process.
A 2024 memo to then-Minister Marc Miller supported expanding these powers, saying they would “reduce security risks and limit document misuse.” It also cautioned that challenges in court would depend on how fairly each case was handled.
Concrete Measures to Curb Illegal Crossings
In response to the controversy, the Immigration Department emphasized its efforts to tighten border control and target non-genuine travelers. Officials say tougher verification measures have led to a 97% drop in illegal U.S.-Canada border crossings by foreign nationals since their peak in mid-2024.
Between January and May 2025, fraud-related visa refusals rose 25%, while asylum claims from visa holders dropped 71% compared to the previous year.
The department did not answer questions about why India and Bangladesh were singled out in internal documents, nor did it identify the U.S. partners involved in the working group.
Diplomatic Sensitivity: Repairing Ties with India
The timing of this move is delicate. Canada and India have only recently begun mending diplomatic ties following deep tensions that erupted in 2023, when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian agents of involvement in the killing of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Although India strongly denied the allegations, relations froze for months. But in June 2025, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, at the invitation of Prime Minister Mark Carney, signaling a tentative thaw.
By August, both countries had reappointed high commissioners, pledging to rebuild their bilateral relationship. However, the visa proposal could once again strain diplomatic goodwill if seen as targeting Indian nationals.
Global Affairs Canada has yet to comment on whether the proposed powers could impact Canada-India relations.
Balancing Security and Diplomacy
While Ottawa insists that the powers are meant to protect Canada’s borders and immigration system, critics argue they could erode trust and transparency in immigration policy. For now, the debate continues in Parliament — and in diplomatic circles.
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