Mexican nationals must obtain Canada visas
July 16 2009 by Mark Johnstone
Mexicans now require a Canada visa
Mexican nationals must now obtain a Canadian visa to enter the country. Canadian Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney said the new requirement for Mexican nationals to present a Temporary Resident Visa at the Canadian border was in response to a problematic number of refugee claims.
Last year Canada documented over 9,400 refugee claims filed by Mexican nationals. This was 25% of the total number of refugee claims; moreover only 11% of these claims were accepted after a review by the independent Immigration and Refugee Board.
Canadian Immigration Minister Kenney said: “In addition to creating significant delays and spiraling new costs in our refugee program, the sheer volume of these claims is undermining our ability to help people fleeing real persecution.
“All too often, people who really need Canada’s protection find themselves in a long line, waiting for months and sometimes years to have their claims heard. This is unacceptable. The Canadian visa requirement I am announcing will give us a greater ability to manage the flow of people into Canada and verify bona fides. By taking this important step towards reducing the burden on our refugee system, we will be better equipped to process genuine refugee claims faster.”
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