Canada has made a major change in the tourist visa policy. Regular 10-year multiple entry visas have been discontinued in the country. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on Thursday announced new guidelines, under which discretion has been given to the officials. Under this, officials will issue short-term visas based on individual assessment instead of extended periods. Indians will be the most affected as a large migrant group in Canada.
What will be the effect of the change?
Informing about the changes, IRCC said that this is part of a comprehensive strategy aimed at managing temporary immigration levels, addressing housing shortages and controlling the rising cost of living. This change means that frequent visitors to Canada may now face shorter-term visas. This will affect those who regularly travel for working holidays.
What was the rule earlier?
Under the previous system, IRCC issued two types of visas – multiple entry and single entry. However, applicants did not have to choose between them. All applicants were automatically considered for a multiple entry visa. This allowed Canadians to enter Canada multiple times during the validity period of their visa. This could be up to 10 years or until the passport expired, whichever was earlier.
Travellers with single entry visas could enter Canada only once. These visas were usually reserved for special cases, such as official visits by foreign nationals eligible for duty exemptions, participation in one-time events in Canada, etc. If single entry visa holders left Canada, they usually required a new visa for re-entry.
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