US to feel the pinch of tight Canada immigration rules

Canada, 17th January: Canada’s recent attempt to introduce tougher immigration rules for asylum-seekers will have a significant impact on the United States too.

Canada’s gain-America’s bane-- For the last several years, Canada has been known for being quite generous to a large number of asylum seeking foreigners. But that seems to become a matter of past, at least for now, thanks to Canadian government’s new policy.

That’s because the new policy of Canada government will make it difficult for asylum applicants to seek refuge in Canada.

No wonder, being a neighbor of Canada, the US will seem an obvious choice for such asylum claimants, warns an immigration lawyer in Vancouver, Richard Kurland.

Reforms introduced in Canada refugee program—Canada has vowed to curb the number of aliens fleeing their native nations and seeking asylum claims here. Coming June, the new reforms introduced in Canada refugee program costing $540 million will fast-track the review system of asylum applications.

As per reforms, all asylum applicants will be provided a hearing within a time period of 90 days or lesser.

And those who don’t manage to furnish sufficient proof will be liable to persecution. According to an official spokesperson of the US Customs and Border Protection office in Seattle, Mike Milne, all asylum seekers not given refugee protection by Canada will face detention.

And, he or she will enjoy rights similar to asylum seekers for a hearing, he adds. The pact aims to target new foreign arrivals who have not undergone asylum process of Canada and have faced imminent deportation.

Meanwhile, officials of the US don’t expect any noticeable increase in applicants crossing the borders legally.

That’s because Canada is going to provide exemptions to failed asylum applicants to stay in Canada. And those unlikely to get persecuted in their native nations will be deported.

Kurland, however, seems to differ on the issue. He feels that if large number of asylum seekers are rejected by Canada, they will obviously be looking for some nation to move in and the most viable target will be North America when new rules for asylum seekers will become effective in Canada this June, he maintains.