Canada’s commitment to welcoming immigrants while tackling the global labor shortage is encountering a paradoxical challenge: despite efforts to restrict asylum applications, the number of individuals seeking refuge in the country is on the rise. While Canada’s border agreement with the United States initially appeared to reduce the influx of asylum seekers, a closer look reveals that desperate individuals are finding alternative routes to seek asylum within the country. This situation exemplifies the complexity of managing unexpected numbers of asylum seekers and the profound difficulties of shutting the door on those in desperate need.
Initial Success, Subsequent Rise
At first glance, Canada’s strategy to stem the flow of asylum seekers across its border with the United States appeared successful. Within days of implementing the new border agreement, the number of individuals intercepted at unofficial crossings along the border decreased substantially. However, five months later, the overall number of people seeking asylum in Canada has increased instead of decreasing. Many are now choosing to enter the country by air, while others continue to clandestinely cross the border and remain hidden until they feel safe enough to apply for asylum.
A Persistent Challenge
This rise in asylum seekers presents a significant challenge for Canada and underscores the difficulty that countries face when attempting to deter desperate individuals. In Toronto, this summer saw hundreds of asylum seekers sleeping on the streets as they struggled to find accommodations, highlighting the challenges of managing unexpected numbers.
Shauna Labman, an associate professor and acting director of the Human Rights Program at the University of Winnipeg, emphasized, “The basic reality is that closing a border doesn’t do anything to solve the need for protection; it only increases the desperation.”
Canada’s Immigration Dilemma
Canada takes pride in its reputation as a welcoming nation for immigrants and has ambitious plans to admit a record half a million new permanent residents by 2025 to address a severe labor shortage. However, the government has also sought to discourage asylum seekers through agreements with the United States that allow both countries to turn back individuals attempting to seek asylum.
Despite these measures, more than 39,000 asylum seekers entered Canada via unofficial border crossings in 2020, mainly into Quebec, leading to concerns about the province’s capacity to accommodate them. Asylum seekers are drawn to Canada’s reputation for faster processing and greater acceptance of asylum applications compared to the United States.
Expanded Border Pact
In March, Canada and the United States amended their two-decade-old asylum-seeker pact, the Safe Third Country Agreement, to cover the entire 4,000-mile land border, rather than just official ports of entry. This led to a dramatic reduction in the number of individuals intercepted at informal crossings, with the figures dropping to double digits from 4,173 in March.
The Paradox of Rising Asylum Claims
Despite the decline in border interceptions, the total number of asylum seekers entering Canada has surged. In July, Canada recorded 12,010 refugee claims, the highest monthly total since at least January 2017, up from 10,120 in March.
This increase is partly due to more people filing refugee claims at airports or local immigration department offices, often days, weeks, or months after arriving in the country. Airport claims comprised about a third of all refugee claims in July, up from about 16 percent in March, while those at immigration offices accounted for approximately 54 percent, up from about a third in March.
The Pull Factors
Canada’s allure as a safe haven remains strong, making it an attractive destination for those fleeing war, climate change, and human rights violations. As other nations adopt measures to expedite the return of migrants or impose stricter asylum rules, Canada stands out as a relatively more welcoming option.
The Challenge of Undetected Crossings
To circumvent the expanded agreement with the U.S., which dictates that asylum seekers apprehended within two weeks of crossing the border can be turned back unless they meet specific exemptions, some individuals enter Canada undetected. This often involves seeking assistance from smugglers and hiding until the two-week period elapses. Such activities are risky and can be exploited by unscrupulous actors.
The Inequity of the Situation
With Canada’s land border largely closed, the asylum system now favors those who can secure visas and air travel. This leaves the most vulnerable individuals without access to Canada’s refugee system, raising concerns about the inequity of the situation.