TORONTO – The government of Canada rejected visa applications in millions in 2024, a visible indication of tough immigration policies opted by the country.
The data retrieved by a Canadian daily portrays shocking figures in terms of the visa rejections by the Canadian government at a time when it is battling housing crisis in the country.
Students, tourists and foreign workers all faced the axe when it comes to rejections primarily because the government is facing mounting pressure from the locals to solve the housing crisis first before welcoming new entrants.
According to the data obtained by Toronto Star, Canada rejected over 2.3 million foreign workers, students, and tourists last year, a highest-ever rejection rate for temporary resident applications.
Interestingly, the rejections increased from 35% to 50% in just a year which highlights that the country’s immigration policy is not so pro-immigration now.
In total, Canada rejected 2,359,157 temporary resident applications in 2024; the rejections stood at 1,846,180 in 2023.
In terms of visa categories, 1.95 million visitor visa applications or 54% were denied, up from 40% the previous year. On the other hand, Study permit rejections hit 52%, while work permit refusals hovered around 22%, a slight dip from 23% in 2023.
Interestingly, Visitor Record applicants did not face rejections at a higher rate. The data in this regard implies that applications for visitor record nearly doubled from 196,965 in 2019 to 389,254 in 2024. The refusal rate for these applicants was just around 5%. It is to be noted that a visitor record is a document that allows you to stay in Canada longer as a visitor or as a worker authorized to work without a work permit or as a student authorized to study without a study permit in Canada.
The public backlash over rising living costs and housing shortages is the reason behind such a high refusal rate and comes at a time when the Trudeau regime was facing challenges while advocating pro-immigration policies.
To calm down the opponents regarding immigration, Canada did take couple of measures. For instance, Ottawa has decreased its permanent residency targets for the next three years—down to 395,000 in 2025, 380,000 in 2026, and 365,000 in 2027.
Meanwhile, Canada isn’t alone in discouraging immigrants and students as the UK and Australia have also adjusted their policies to make immigration tough and expensive.
