Asylum Applications Skyrocketing at Canadian Airports Since Feds Reduced Visitor Visa Requirements

Majority of claimants were from Mexico, India, Kenya, Ethiopia, Congo, Nigeria, and Uganda.

People line up before entering the security zone at Pearson International Airport in Toronto on Aug. 5, 2022. Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press

The number of asylum claims at Canadian domestic airports has jumped more than 50 percent since Ottawa waived specific requirements for thousands of visitor visa applicants at the end of February.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) processed 26,585 claims between January and the end of September, an increase of 54 percent from 2022’s total of 17,165, according to a report published by the Canadian Citizenship & Immigration Resource Centre (CCIRC).