- The decision was aimed to curb immigration after experiencing a post-COVID population surge
The Canadian government has announced that the automatic 10-year multiple-entry visa policy for Nigerians and other foreign citizens has been cancelled.
While the multiple-entry visa previously allowed holders to enter and leave Canada freely, a government update said that the 10-year multiple-entry visa is no longer viewed as the “standard document.”
The decision was aimed to curb immigration after experiencing a post-COVID population surge, the authorities highlighted.
According to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), “Guidance has been updated to indicate that multiple-entry visas issued to maximum validity are no longer considered to be the standard document.”
It also noted that immigration officers now have the discretion to decide between issuing single-entry or multiple-entry visas and to determine their validity periods.
The IRCC earlier announced in October that in a revised target for permanent residents, the immigration goal for 2025 has been reduced from 500,000 to 395,000.
The target for 2026 will drop from 500,000 to 380,000, and in 2027 as Canada plans to admit 365,000 permanent residents.