Immigration.ca - Canada Immigration News - January 2010
The Canadian Government is looking at whether visitor visas should be required for Hungarian citizens travelling to Canada, according to media sources.
Last year the government caused significant controversy when visitor visa requirements were imposed on all Czech and Mexican travellers to Canada. The government argued that the move was intended to quell the “ballooning” numbers of asylum seekers from the two countries.
Pleased with the results thus far, the government is now turning its focus toward the “soaring” numbers of Hungarians seeking refuge in Canada.
Over the last year, the number of asylum seekers from Hungary has increased ten-fold, and the nation has become one of Canada’s top three sources for refugee claims.
Before becoming a member of the European Union in early 2008, Hungary was on Canada’s list of nations requiring visitor visas. Since that requirement has been lifted, Hungarian and Canadian officials have been working together in an attempt to keep the number of Hungarian refugee claimants down. Those efforts have not been overly fruitful, according to Canada’s Immigration Minister.
“Thus far, unfortunately, the number has gone up,” said a spokesman for Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, adding that it was up to Hungarian officials to fix the problem.
Hungarian officials, on the other hand, say it’s up to Canada to “fix” its own systematic loopholes. Furthermore, many advocates argue that a significant number of the Hungarian refugee claims are legitimate, as Hungarians of Roma descent are facing increasingly harsh persecution.
Source: The Globe and Mail
