Changing face of Canada immigration law

The announcement by Canada’s Immigration Minister Jason Kenney to impose new visa requirements on Mexican and Czech Republic migrants has sparked controversy about what this means for Canadian immigration applications as a whole.

The move by the Canadian government comes in reaction to the escalating number of migrants to the country and the problem of migrants applying illegitimately for permanent residency.

Roughly 40% of all applications from the Czech Republic are accepted by the Canadian government as genuine cases, but as Kenney argues:

“The relatively higher acceptance rate of refugee claims originating in the Czech Republic masks the troubling fact that more than half of the claims are abandoned or withdrawn before a final decision is made by the Immigration and Refugee Board.”

Statistics for Mexican applicants are even less favourable. In 2008, the Immigration and Refugee Board reviewed 5,654 Mexican claims last year and accepted only 606.

Mexico and the Czech Republic are the two highest sources of refugee claimants looking to move to Canada.

Kenney has defended Canada’s right to impose the visa requirements and also the country’s sustained commitment to immigration. He argues that Canada is on course on immigration in 2009, welcoming around 250,000 new permanent residents. Of this number only 37, 400 (around 8%) were in the humanitarian category.

He says: “While countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia are talking about taking fewer immigrants, our planned numbers for 2009 are on par with last year and are among the highest for this country over the past 15 years…  The numbers reflect a continued commitment to an immigration program that balances Canada’s economic, humanitarian and family reunification goals.”

The new Canada visa requirements are not planned to be extended to any other countries in the near future. But the move has, in the opinion of some, tarnished Canada’s reputation as an safe haven for anyone suffering in their home country and needing to flee.

Toronto immigration lawyer Max Berger for one said says:

“To re-introduce this visa requirement, it really tarnishes our reputation in the international community with respect to refugee protection because we are slamming the door on genuine refugees.”