“Guidance Has Been Updated”: Canada Ends Automatic 10-Year Multiple-Entry Visas

• Canadian authorities have announced the end of automatic 10-year multiple-entry visas for tourists
• The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada explained that the guidance has been updated for applicants
• Immigration officers are now to decide whether to issue a single or multiple-entry visa and in determining the validity period

CHECK OUT: Education is Your Right! Don’t Let Social Norms Hold You Back. Learn Online with LEGIT. Enroll Now!

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 5 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international events

Canada's government has tightened its visa rules as it announced a plan to no longer grant automatic 10-year multiple-entry visas to tourists who plan to visit the country.

Visas will now be issued with shorter durations based on individual assessments by immigration officers.

This is according to new guidelines issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

As reported by The Punch, the new guide is different from the previous practice where eligible visitors were routinely issued long-term visas, permitting multiple entries over a decade.

Now, every application will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis instead of a default extended validity period.

Immigration officers can decide whether to grant a single-entry or multiple-entry visa and determine its duration, moving away from the automatic issuance of maximum-validity multiple-entry visas.

“Guidance has been updated to indicate that multiple-entry visas issued to maximum validity are no longer considered to be the standard document. Officers may exercise their judgement in deciding whether to issue a single or multiple-entry visa and in determining the validity period,”

According to IRCC, the change is part of a broader strategy aimed at managing temporary immigration levels while addressing ongoing challenges such as housing shortages and rising living costs.

It is part of efforts to adapt its immigration approach in response to economic and infrastructure pressures.

Canada places restrictions on permanent residence applications

Legit.ng earlier reported that the Canadian authorities placed a limit on the number of visa applications for self-employed persons.

The scheme also restricted visa processing to 10 applicants per organisation to hasten processing.

The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said the new scheme began on April 30, 2024.