The Canadian government has announced the cancellation of the 10-year multiple-entry visa for Nigerians and citizens of other countries.
The authorities said that the cancellation of 10-year multiple-entry visa is part of the government’s efforts to curb immigration after experiencing a post-COVID population surge.
The multiple-entry visa, before its cancellation, allowed holders to enter and exit Canada as they pleased but an update by the government on Wednesday stated that it was no longer considered the “standard document.”
“Guidance has been updated to indicate that multiple-entry visas issued to maximum validity are no longer considered to be the standard document,” reads a statement by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
“Officers may exercise their judgement in deciding whether to issue a single or multiple-entry visa, and in determining the validity period,” the statement added.
Previously, Canada offered two types of tourist visas: multiple-entry and single-entry. Applicants were generally considered for the multiple-entry visa, which allowed them to visit the country multiple times over a period of up to 10 years or until one month before their passport’s expiration date.
Single-entry visas, issued for specific situations like official visits or participation in single events, were less common.
Now, with the updated guidance, maximum-validity multiple-entry visas will no longer be the standard offering.
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Immigration officers will exercise their judgement to decide on the appropriate type and duration of the visa, tailoring it to the specific needs and circumstances of the traveller.
The application fee for a Canadian visitor visa remains unchanged at CAD 100 per person, with no difference in cost between single-entry and multiple-entry options.
However, the shift may result in increased application costs for frequent travellers, who might need to apply more often due to shorter-term visas.
The majority of Nigerians had fled the Sub-Saharan nation in light of inflation and rising insecurity to find refuge in Canada who welcomed immigrants to counter a declining population and meet workforce demands.
But the country, now overwhelmed with immigrants, was backpedalling its approach to address the recent influx.
