Job Discussion Forums

[Prof.Gringo]

Canada has changed it's immigration regs. Mexican citizens must now have visas to travel to Canada.

Why?

Mexicans were heading to Canada in droves so they could file for fradulant refugee status. That way they could free load off the dole in Canada while they waited for their cases to be heard.

Mexico is now making Canadian diplomats apply for visas, but not for Canadian tourists... I guess money is more important than Mexico's foreign policy. Isn't Mexico's whole foreign policy shaped by enabling it's citizens to immigrate illegally to other countries while allowing tourists to enter Mexico visa free?

"Since 2005, the number of Mexican refugee claimants has tripled: from about 3,400 to 9,400 in 2008. This year to date there have been 5,500 claims received up to June 30, compared with 3,700 in the same period last year. The acceptance rate has been running at 11 per cent, well below the national average of 40 per cent."

Maybe some of the Mexican good will towards Canadians will turn as frosty as the Great Northern Plains or the Yukon?

Perhaps people will see Americans and Canadians as the same, and perhaps this will affect ESL teachers...

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/canada-slaps-visa-requirements-on-mexicans-czechs/article1216887/

http://www.thenews.com.mx/home/tnhome.asp?cve_home=1777

"The top 10 source countries for Canadian refugee referrals, for the first three months of 2009:

Mexico 3,648

Haiti 688

Colombia 656

Czech Republic 653

China 446

Sri Lanka 224

Nigeria 218

Hungary 166

United States 158

St.Vincent 151

Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada"

Yeah, Mexico has way more refugee's than say Nigeria or Sri Lanka...countries ripped apart by civil wars and rebel armies fighting the government for years.

[spiral78]

I guess you know the Czech Rep also lost its visa-free Canadian travel privileges, just granted about 18 months ago.

For similar reasons - about 3,500 Czech gypsies have since applied for refugee status, claiming economic discrimation. It's embarassing and annoying for ethnic Czechs (who are generally hardworking, clean-cut and productive citizens of whatever country they live in).

I realize I may sound prejudiced, but I've got 12+ years of personal experience with European gypsies and they really are (not all, but there's a lot of truth in the stereotype) big fans of living on the dole.

It's a pity.

[Samantha]

Each refugee claim costs the Canadian taxpayers $29,000.00 CAD. Why they let it get this out of hand, is a mystery. Only 11% of the claims last year were accepted, and knowing the Canadian government, they were generous at that.

We have seen these seminars in our area of Mexico, giving "insider tips" on how to live and work in Canada. The local Consular office knew nothing of who was behind them nor did she apparently investigate. They rent nice hotel conference rooms for this purpose and probably do very well judging by the numbers of claimants. It's a shame for tourism in Canada, and for those legitimately going on vacations. It could have been done with a little more warning, but I suspect because it has reached a crisis level, they were unable to give warning.

Mexicans are used to getting visas to go to the USA, and now they will add Canada to the list.