Canada announces cancellation of automatic 10-year multiple-entry visas

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 Canadian government has announced the cancellation of the 10-year multiple-entry visa for Nigerians and citizens of other countries.

The authorities said that the cancellation of 10-year multiple-entry visa is part of the government’s efforts to curb immigration after experiencing a post-COVID population surge.

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 update by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) added, “Guidance has been updated to indicate that multiple-entry visas issued to maximum validity are no longer considered to be the standard document.”

The IRCC further stated that immigration officers now have the discretion to decide between issuing single-entry or multiple-entry visas and to determine their validity periods.

Recall that in October this year, the IRCC announced a revised target for permanent residents, reducing the goal for 2025 from 500,000 to 395,000.

The target for 2026 will drop from 500,000 to 380,000, and in 2027, Canada plans to admit 365,000 permanent residents.