A new report is sparking concern over the lack of resources available to Canadian visa officers at home and abroad, which is inhibiting their ability to make informed decisions on applications for visitors and permanent residents.
The report, conducted and released this month by Canada’s Auditor General, found several “disturbing weaknesses” in the screening processes undertaken by workers at both the Canada Border Services Agency and Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
The most disconcerting aspect of the review was the discovery that many regulations have not changed in years, despite rapid changes in global threats and disease in recent history.
In fact, for over 50 years visa officers have been screening applicants for only two diseases – syphilis and tuberculosis – despite another 54 diseases being under national surveillance.
Though gaps in medical screening are disturbing, perhaps even more alarming are the gaps in security information – such as the lack of information sharing between border officials and the RCMP.
The report recommends further resource-allocation to the swamped visa offices, which process over 1 million visitor visa and 300,000 permanent residency applications each year. More funding would allow implementation of further manpower, which in turn would mean more in-depth investigations on all matters.
Source: Globe and Mail