A new bill proposes that rejected applications for a Canada Visa will have the right of appeal.
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31 December 2010
Canada immigration appeal system urged for rejected visitors
New Democrat MP and immigration critic Olivia Chow has tabled a private-member’s bill in the House of Commons to allow rejected Canadian tourist visa applications to be reviewed and appealed.
Currently, 20 per cent of the one million visitors’ visa applications received by Canada immigration are refused for concerns over alleged fraud and misrepresentation by applicants. Of great concern to the Canadian Government is that once they have entered Canada these visitors will stay illegally.
However, legitimate applicants invited for important family functions such as weddings and funerals in Canada are also rejected, and there is no recourse once an application is rejected.
A rejection of a Canada Visa also greatly reduces the chances of success for future applications.
Chow said one-third of the Canada immigration cases at her Toronto office involve visitors’ visa applications being rejected. Sometimes she says these rejections are the result of “arbitrary decision-making” by Canada Immigration officers.
The proposed bill would ask the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada to hear the appeals, a similar process to that which is done in the UK and Australia.
The Canadian Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in helping people make their Canada Visa application to the Canadian Embassy.
