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3h ago

Internal Memos Reveal Ottawa Seeking Mass Visa Cancellation Powers Focused on India and Bangladesh

Officials frame the proposed authority as a fraud deterrent subject to cabinet orders.

A passenger pushes luggage at Toronto Pearson International Airport, in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada (Picture for representative purpose only) (REUTERS)
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Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab has said in public that pandemics or war would be reasons why her department would seek mass cancellation of visas. But an internal presentation to the Immigration department seen by CBC News also raises the scenario of country-specific cancellations.
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Overview

  • An internal IRCC presentation obtained by CBC identifies India and Bangladesh as “country-specific challenges” while outlining mass cancellation powers for temporary visas.
  • The measure is now embedded in Bill C-12 after being split from Bill C-2, and the government is seeking swift passage as part of broader border legislation.
  • IRCC, CBSA and unnamed U.S. partners formed a working group to identify and cancel fraudulent visitor visas, according to the internal documents.
  • IRCC says the proposal is not aimed at any particular group and that any use would require Governor in Council approval and publication in the Canada Gazette.
  • Data in the presentation cites rising pressures, including Indian asylum claims increasing to about 2,000 per month by July 2024, slower processing and fewer approvals, while separate reporting notes a sharp jump in Indian study-permit refusals in August 2025.