The Canadian government has announced the cancellation of automatic 10-year multiple-entry visa policy for Nigerians and other foreign citizens.
While the multiple-entry visa previously allowed holders to enter and leave Canada freely, a government update said that the 10-year multiple-entry visa is no longer viewed as the “standard document.”
The decision was aimed to curb immigration after experiencing a post-COVID population surge, the authorities highlighted.
According to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, IRCC, “Guidance has been updated to indicate that multiple-entry visas issued to maximum validity are no longer considered to be the standard document.”
It also noted that immigration officers now have the discretion to decide between issuing single-entry or multiple-entry visas and to determine their validity periods.
The IRCC earlier announced in October that in a revised target for permanent residents, the immigration goal for 2025 has been reduced from 500,000 to 395,000.
READ ALSO: Canada reduces immigration targets, permanent residency slots
The target for 2026 will drop from 500,000 to 380,000, and in 2027 as Canada plans to admit 365,000 permanent residents.
Under the previous system, IRCC issued two types of tourist visas: multiple entry and single entry. However, applicants did not need to choose between them, as all applicants were automatically considered for a multiple-entry visa. This allowed visitors to enter Canada multiple times over the visa’s validity period, which could extend up to 10 years or until one month before the passport’s expiry, whichever was sooner.
For single-entry visas, travellers could only enter Canada once. These visas were generally reserved for specific cases, such as official visits by foreign nationals eligible for fee exemptions, participation in one-time events in Canada, or situations governed by country-specific guidelines. Once holders of single-entry visas left Canada, they would typically need a new visa to re-enter.
Under the new guidance, multiple-entry visas with maximum validity will no longer be the standard. Officers now have the discretion to assess each applicant individually and decide whether to issue a single-entry or multiple-entry visa based on need. The duration of these visas may also vary, depending on the traveller’s specific circumstances.
“Guidance has been updated to indicate that multiple-entry visas issued to maximum validity are no longer considered to be the standard document. Officers may exercise their judgment in deciding whether to issue a single or multiple-entry visa and in determining the validity period,” said IRCC.
Credible News.ng
