Hungarian officials and Ottawa in talks over Canadian visas
January 29 2010 by Liam Clifford
This week in Ottawa, the Hungarian deputy foreign minister and his Canadian counterpart have been discussing the imposition of Canadian visa requirements for Hungarians.
Hungary is keen to prevent the visa requirements being
put in place and the deputy foreign minister, Vilmos Szabo, stated that the main
issue being discussed was the rising number of asylum seekers from Hungary
wishing to move to Canada.
The Canada’s deputy minister for foreign
affairs says the rise in asylum seekers over the past few months "poses
problems” for Canadian immigration. However, Szabo said that avoiding the
re-introduction of Canadian visa requirements for Hungarians is in the “common
interest” and that several measures are being considered as
alternatives.
The Canadian-Hungarian working committee is now planning to
hold a third discussion session in Budapest early next month to further bash-out
a solution. Roma community leaders are also expected to join the meeting as it
is the Roma community that has been inundating Canada with asylum applications
recently.
Anyone looking to live in Canada from Hungary or from anywhere
in the European Union will need to apply for a Canadian visa in order to do so,
although most do not need a visa for a visit alone.
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