Canada Seeks Mass-Cancel Visa Powers Amid Fraud Concerns

Ottawa is seeking new authority to mass-cancel groups of visas — an internal IRCC/CBSA presentation prepared with unnamed U.S. partners cites fraud concerns and singles out country-specific challenges in India and Bangladesh, and the measure has been folded into Bill C-12. More than 300 civil-society groups and immigration lawyers warn such powers could enable mass deportations or be used to manage application backlogs. Canada’s clampdown on international student permits has disproportionately hit Indian applicants: August 2025 refusal rates for Indian study permits jumped to about 74% from roughly 32% in August 2023, and applications fell from about 20,900 to 4,515. Ottawa says the tougher stance, including enhanced verification and higher financial requirements, is aimed at curbing fraud after officials found about 1,550 applications tied to fraudulent acceptance letters in 2023 and later flagged more than 14,000 potentially fake letters. The measures come amid efforts to repair Canada–India ties after 2023 diplomatic tensions, and Indian officials and education stakeholders warn the rules risk deterring talented students and straining bilateral engagement.