Canada Immigration and Citizenship News

NEXUS borders are definitely important in our view. Not so much for Canada, but more because of concern with the registration system in the U.S, which I will talk about a little bit later. The project North Star lane is effectively a way you can go through a special roadway or clearance. You have a biometric type card you pass clearance from both the U.S. and Canadian government. We are hoping to prevent people who are subject to registration under the NSEERS program  from having to get fingerprinted every time they enter and leave the U.S. This is a huge issue for Canada going in the other direction because you might have someone who is a Syrian resident or a citizen of Canada for 33 years, who has hardly anything to do with the country, yet every time he goes across the Windsor/Detroit border to visit his daughter, he is forced to register on the way in and on the way out. If he stays more than 30 days, then he registers every 30 days. We are hoping maybe NEXUS will be expanded to do the low risk individuals from the Middle East and give some relief to the registration system.

  Finally, the Safe Third Country Agreement will turn back at the port of entry anyone who claims refugee status in Canada who is in the U.S. and has the potential to claim it there. The idea behind that is we are both members of the Geneva Convention. We both have somewhat different, but similar motivations in the way we implement refugee claim system and to try to avoid people from trying to sort of forum shopping. From Canada's perspective, the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act has introduced still further restrictions on people who have been refused or who are out of status. We have gotten a lot stronger and are less tolerant in terms of people who are out of status. We have a dual process system for inland Canada. We have refused access to the refugee claimants for anyone who has applied before and been refused. We are also refusing access to refugee claims for anyone who is a refugee in a European country but has travel documents and is perfectly able to live there.

  In terms of all of changes we spent $7.7 billion in the 2001 budget, another $6.5 to 7.7 billion in the 2001 budget to implement the IBETS teams to the computer share. Three hundred million of that is going to the Windsor/Detroit border alone. One hundred fifty of that has already been spent and there is another 150 to go. So, Canada has actually passed its budget bills to support initiatives that are in place.

  In terms of immigration, we will continue to encourage immigration into Canada. I think that is quite a different policy than the United States. That is our history. That is where we are. We are trying to be more selective. We are not saying anyone can come to Canada. We are actually getting much higher on our threshold in terms of what you need to have in terms of business experience or working experience, working education, to qualify for immigration to Canada, but the objectives are to continue to promote social, cultural, and economic benefits.

  The interesting thing about the Immigration Refugee Protection Act, it incorporates now into the objectives more security concerns. It has changed wording in what it does as well as who it allows and does not allow. They must, for example, when assessing a refugee claim look at security, not just criminal. It used to be just a reference more to the criminality, now it is criminal and security in a broader sense of the word. We are not just looking at terrorists, but more generally security in any sort of reasonable concern.

  On entry to Canada, only Canadian citizens and Indians registered have the automatic right to enter and remain. Permanent residences have very generous rate of entry, although they are continually examined to ensure they meet the conditions of the Act once they get into the Canada. As a general rule applications for temporary entrance into Canada other than NAFTA, GATT and a few other very limited qualifications, must apply outside of Canada at a consulate.  Although refugees may file a claim for refugee status, they may be subject to a three-day eligibility determination prior to proceeding in a whole case and will never be processed at the border.

 All persons who require a visa from a visa-exempt country can enter Canada as visitors. However, if they do not have their documents in order they will not be let in at any other country. If you show up at the border and you do not have your papers, you will be allowed in. You will be subject to examination and could be asked to leave or have conditions imposed on your stay. Every type of application has documentation requirements and everyone must have a valid passport or travel document. We do not accept South African Homeland documents, Palestine documents, or British visitor passports. Anyone staying for more than six months needs a special permit. Study permits and work permits under NAFTA can be applied at the border.