New judgments are being issued by Canada, and citizenship criteria for citizens of this nation are being implemented. On Thursday, February 29, the government of Canada made the announcement that some visa restrictions would be reinstated for Mexican nationals who seek to travel to Canada.
Canada announces new visa requirements
The Canadian government is making this endeavor in an effort to maintain control over the increasing number of asylum claims. The announcement that this step is being adopted was made by Marc Miller, the Minister of Immigration, in response to the exponential growth in the number of asylum claims.
Miller made the observation that the majority of the rise in asylum petitions is coming from Mexican residents, who accounted for 17% of the total number of applications submitted worldwide in the previous year. For some time now, the Premier of Quebec has been exerting pressure on the federal government to take action in order to stop the influx of migrants.
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According to The Associated Press, he takes the position that the circumstance is putting a significant strain on the resources that are already available.
In addition, the government of the United States of America has requested that Canada take action regarding the problem, regarding the fact that certain Mexicans have been entering the United States from Canada without the necessary legal permits. In addition, the relationship that exists between the United States of America and Canada has been a big element in this choice, which is something that should be noted.
In spite of the fact that the number of people seeking refuge is not comparable to the situation on the southern border of the United States, Miller underlined that it has greatly grown over the past several years. The Associated Press reports that this necessitates the United States of America’s ally, Canada, to exercise appropriate management of the situation.
In an effort to strengthen the bilateral relationship between the United States and Mexico, the requirement that travelers from Mexico get a visa was eliminated in the year 2016. Canada has been compelled to reevaluate its policy as a result of the significant rise in the number of asylum petitions coming from Mexico.
Over the course of the previous year, the number of applications that were filed climbed to approximately 24,000, which is a considerable load for the Canadian asylum system. In 2015, there were just 110 applications recorded.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador voiced his regret with Canada’s decision and emphasized his wish to look into other options rather than reinstituting the need that individuals get a visa. In spite of the fact that he gave his word that this step would not have any impact on the relationship between the two nations, he suggested that he would communicate his displeasure to Trudeau through a message.
Additionally, during his remarks, Mexican President AMLO offered the possibility that Mexico’s participation in the forthcoming North American Leaders Summit would be impacted. According to reports from The Associated Press, this occurs in the midst of political campaigns in both Mexico and the United States.
This circumstance is a difficulty for the Mexican government, both in terms of logistics and diplomacy, since it requires them to strike a balance between their international duties and the demands of the Mexican political system. According to the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the other hand, the government “reserves, of course, the authority to act in reciprocity,” as stated in an official statement that was released by the ministry.
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