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Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) cites a rise in refugee claims from the Czech Republic and Mexico as the reason for this change. Canada regularly reviews its visa policies towards other countries to ensure that the immigration and refugee program is respected.<\/p>\n
Kenney said that the visa requirement will enable Canada to better manage the flow of people into the country and assess genuine refugee claims.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe visa process will allow us to assess who is coming to Canada as a legitimate visitor and who might be trying to use the refugee system to jump the immigration queue,\u201d Kenney said. \u201cIt is not fair for those who have been waiting patiently to come to Canada, sometimes for years, when others succeed in bypassing our immigration system.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to CIC, refugee claims from Mexico have almost tripled since 2005, and in 2008, claims from Mexican nationals made up a quarter of the total refugee claims Canada received. Only 11 per cent of those claims were accepted. CIC states that the top source country for refugee claims in Canada is Mexico.<\/p>\n
The Czech Republic is the second-highest source country for refugees, according to CIC. Czech nationals have filed almost 3,000 claims since October 2007, when Canada lifted the visa requirement.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn addition to creating significant delays and spiraling new costs in our refugee program, the sheer volume of these claims is undermining our ability to help people fleeing real persecution,\u201d said Kenney.<\/p>\n
Refugee claims from the Czech Republic are mainly filed by people of Roma origin, who feel discriminated against in their country. The Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board sent researchers to the Czech Republic on a fact-finding mission on this issue from March 23 to March 31.<\/p>\n
In addition, CIC reports that more than half of these refugee claims from Czech nationals are being withdrawn or abandoned before they are finalized, which they say, indicates that many claimants may not be genuine refugees.<\/p>\n
Kenney said that genuine refugee claimants are being negatively affected by the delays and costs caused by the volume of refugee claims in the system.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll too often, people who really need Canada\u2019s protection find themselves in a long line, waiting for months and sometimes years to have their claims heard. This is unacceptable,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
For the first 48 hours that this requirement is in effect, Mexican and Czech nationals will be able to apply for entry when they arrive at a border crossing. However, after 11:59 EDT on Wednesday, July 15th, citizens of those two countries who wish to visit Canada will need a visa.<\/p>\n
Applicants from Mexico and the Czech Republic may wish to apply for multiple-entry visas, valid for up to five years, to facilitate travel. As well, CIC has put measures into place for individuals who need to travel to Canada on an emergency basis.<\/p>\n