Visitors to Canada with valid visas claim they are being pressured to seek asylum upon arriving — or leave

Hard to know the extent but shouldn’t be happening:

… “Why canvass him to sign a refugee claim and want him to be a refugee in this country?” 

That’s a question also asked by some immigration lawyers and consultants, who say they have been contacted by visitors with valid visas who were denied entry and offered the option to seek asylum at Toronto and Montreal airports despite having no intention to do so.

The number of new refugee claimants in Canada has skyrocketed since the border reopened after the pandemic, from 24,127 in 2021 to 60,158 in 2022 and 137,947 in 2023. In the first six months of this year, already 92,135 claims were made.

Since Canada and the U.S. expanded a bilateral ban last year preventing irregular migrants at land border from seeking asylum, there has been a surge of refugee claimants arriving at airports across the country: from 17,165 in 2022 to 41,355 last year. Between January and June, it reached 27,840.

In recent months, some people travelling to Canada by air have taken their complaints to social media, claiming they were held and harassed by Canadian border agents over the genuineness of their visit, being asked to leave the country or make a refugee claim in order to enter Canada.

Mississauga immigration consultant Sheetal Jhuti said she had taken those online complaints with some skepticism until a couple of clients walked into her office in July making similar allegations, and seeking her help.

“I had not heard of somebody not asking for a refugee claim and then being told, ‘Well, make the claim. This is what it is. You can do that and submit the forms,’” she recalled. “I hadn’t heard that happening (before).” 

Jhuti said the two men did not know each other and arrived on different flights, in Toronto and Montreal. Both had valid visas but ended up declaring asylum to avoid being sent back to India immediately. They told her they were not asked any question about their trips but were offered the option straight away.

“We are aware of these allegations and want to make it clear that the Canada Border Services Agency does not direct or counsel travellers to make refugee claims,” said Luke Reimer, a spokesperson for the agency.

“Having obtained a temporary resident visa (visitor visa) or having been previously authorized to enter Canada does not guarantee the right to enter Canada.”…

Source: Visitors to Canada with valid visas claim they are being pressured to seek asylum upon arriving — or leave