As countries around the world tighten visa regulations, Indians employed abroad are increasingly being forced to return home midway through their stay. While the United States has already been tightening the screws on Indians over visa matters, Canada has now begun following a similar path. In the first six months of this year, Canada deported 3,323 Indian nationals back to their home country. Reports indicate that deportations are rising as a result of stricter visa regulations, alongside measures being taken to reduce application backlogs.
Canadian authorities are making concerted efforts to send back individuals whose refugee claims — filed for various reasons — have been rejected. Beyond such cases, deportations are also targeting those who continue to reside in Canada despite their visas or work permits having expired.
Additionally, amid reports of fraud involving the submission of fake documents to gain entry into Canada, the scrutiny of applications has been made considerably stricter. Canada has also shown itself ready to deport foreign nationals in cases involving the submission of false information or fraud detected in connection with college admissions.
With immigration numbers rising sharply in the country, Canada has in recent times launched several measures aimed at curbing the inflow. As part of this effort, it has reduced the issuance of international student visas and tightened the rules governing work permits for spouses of visa holders. Regulations for foreign nationals arriving for temporary employment have also been made stricter.
However, given that Indians make up a large share of the international student population in Canada, it is a fact that the impact of these policy changes falls disproportionately on them. Against this backdrop, rising deportation numbers have fueled growing anxiety among Indians — both those currently in Canada and the families of NRIs back in India. Many have expressed concern over the financial cost and loss of valuable time that deportation entails.
Meanwhile, it appears that the Canadian government is likely to continue this approach to deportations for some time as part of its broader efforts to curb immigration. Experts advise that those applying for student visas to pursue higher education in Canada should take all necessary precautions in advance — including thoroughly checking the track record of educational institutions and ensuring there are no discrepancies in their documentation — before proceeding.