Under the new guidelines, immigration officers will now have more discretion when deciding whether to grant a single-entry or multiple-entry visa, as well as the length of the visa’s validity. While multiple-entry visas were once issued for up to 10 years — or until the expiration of the holder’s passport or biometrics — the Canadian immigration department has clarified that this is no longer the standard practice.
“Multiple-entry visas issued to maximum validity are no longer considered to be the standard document,” the department stated in a recent update. “Officers may now exercise their judgment in deciding whether to issue a single-entry or multiple-entry visa and determine the appropriate validity period.”
The policy revision comes at a time of growing concerns about Canada’s immigration levels, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government facing rising discontent over the country’s housing shortage and the high cost of living. Last month, Immigration Minister Marc Miller acknowledged the government’s delayed response to managing the flow of temporary migration, which has contributed to overcrowding in housing markets across the country.
Miller, speaking to Reuters, admitted that the pace of migration had become “aggressive” and that the government may have acted too slowly in addressing the issue. “We own part of that,” he said, noting that public perception of immigration levels — as reflected in recent polls — has sparked concern that Canada may have taken in “too many” immigrants.
The government’s new immigration plan aims to address these issues by reducing both permanent and temporary immigration numbers. The plan expects that over 1 million temporary residents will voluntarily leave Canada as their visas expire over the next few years. Those who fail to depart on their own will face deportation, Miller emphasized, stating, “Temporary means temporary and permanent means permanent.”
The tightening of visa policies, particularly for tourists, is part of a broader strategy to manage Canada’s population growth and housing pressures. The change also signals the Trudeau government’s broader shift toward rethinking immigration levels amid growing public dissatisfaction.
(Source : Reuters) In a significant change to its immigration policies, the Canadian government has announced it will no longer issue tourist visas with validity periods of up to 10 years. This move marks a shift away from the practice of granting long-term, multiple-entry visas to travelers, which previously allowed frequent visits to Canada without the need for reapplication.
As the country grapples with these challenges, the new visa rules reflect a more cautious approach to managing immigration — one that balances Canada’s historical openness with the practical realities of its current housing and infrastructure needs.
