Mexican asylum claims drop after Canada reinstates visa requirements

The change came after years of rising claims that placed increasing pressure on Canada's asylum system, especially in Quebec.

The decision to bring back visas was made in early 2024 in response to a dramatic rise in asylum applications from Mexico. In 2016, Canada lifted visa requirements to strengthen ties with the Mexican government, with former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and former Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Since then, more than 2.2 million visitors from Mexico have arrived in the country, making Mexico the top source of travelers from Latin America.

However, the visa exemption coincided with a rapid surge in refugee claims. CBSA data show that claims from Mexican nationals increased from 260 in 2016 to 23,995 in 2023—a jump of over 9,000 percent.

The rate of claims more than doubled each year, rising from 1.1 percent of all Canadian asylum claims in 2016 to 3 percent in 2017, 18 percent in 2022, and 17.5 percent by late 2023. Most of those claims were made at airports, particularly in Quebec.

“Asylum claims from Mexican nationals to Canada rose from 260 to 23,995 between 2016 and 2023, an increase of more than 9,000%,” said Immigration Minister Marc Miller during a press conference, according to BBC.

By October 31, 2023, Canada had received 20,370 asylum claims from Mexican citizens—surpassing the total for the previous year. Officials said the rise in claims strained both the federal refugee system and provincial resources.

Miller acknowledged the diplomatic fallout from the decision at the time. “The Mexican government has expressed dissatisfaction with the reinstated visa requirements,” he said, adding that “Mexico is and will remain an important partner.”

According to the federal government, more than half of the asylum claims from Mexico have either been abandoned or rejected.

Authorities also reported a rise in immigration violations by Mexican nationals during the same period.