Canada has seen a sharp decline in the number of asylum applications from around the world. The country’s immigration authorities have tightened visa regulations and introduced legal complexities, leading to a drop in refugee applications. Lawyers have expressed concern that even legitimate asylum seekers are being denied visas.
According to Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board, approximately 11,840 people applied for refugee status in Canada last January, marking the lowest monthly application count since September 2023.
Canada is currently discouraging asylum seekers and has also restricted the issuance of refugee visas. The Canadian government has taken this step to reduce the number of immigrants in the country.
Drop in Visitor Visas
Official data from Canada reveals that the country issued around 1.5 million visitor visas last year, a decline from approximately 1.8 million in 2023. A Reuters analysis indicates that the drop has been particularly significant in countries that have been major sources of asylum seekers.
For Bangladeshi citizens, the number of visitor visas issued by Canada fell from 45,322 in 2023 to 27,975 last year. Similarly, visas issued to Haitian nationals dropped from 8,984 to 5,487, while Nigerian applicants saw a decline from 79,378 to 51,828.
Canada also restricted visitor visas for nationals from countries with high asylum acceptance rates. Last year, only 330 Afghan nationals received visitor visas, down from 468 in the previous year.
Other affected countries include:
Iran: 57,127 visas in 2023 → 38,075 in 2024
Uganda: 6,096 visas in 2023 → 2,019 in 2024
Syria: 2,176 visas in 2023 → 1,174 in 2024
Kenya: 11,464 visas in 2023 → 3,199 in 2024
Growing Backlog of Asylum Applications
As of January 2025, Canada has reached a record-high backlog of pending asylum applications, with approximately 278,457 cases awaiting resolution.
Canada does not issue visas specifically for asylum seekers. Those seeking refugee status must first enter the country as visitors, students, or workers—or attempt to cross the border illegally. However, entering Canada through its water-surrounded and well-secured borders is difficult. Additionally, Canada has an agreement with the United States to return asylum seekers crossing from the U.S.