Budget Office Report: Increase in Refugee Claims by 672% Linked to $7 Electronic Visas
A program meant to prevent inadmissible foreign nationals from entering Canada actually led to a surge in refugee claims, as per data from the federal Budget Office.
The number of refugee claims from travelers purchasing a $7 electronic visa has increased by 672 percent since 2017.
“Since 2016, the number of asylum claimants has been on the rise and reached a record high of 144,860 claims in 2023,” stated a Budget Office report obtained by Blacklock’s Reporter. “Asylum claimants arriving in Canada with an Electronic Travel Authorization are the fastest-growing group.”
The Department of Immigration enforced a requirement in November 2026 for foreign visitors from many Asian and Latin American countries to apply for an electronic visa known as an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA). The program’s purpose was to “move out the Canadian border by identifying inadmissible foreign nationals before they travel to or through Canada,” according to a 2023 internal audit referred to as Evaluation Of The Electronic Travel Authorization Program.
However, the program was exploited by claimants to expedite entry into Canada’s refugee claims system, according to the Budget Office report. It estimated that the average cost for each asylum claimant arriving with an ETA was $16,500 in 2024.
The report also projected a cost of $455 million over a five-year processing period for claimants who arrived in Canada with an ETA before January 1, 2024, but had not received a final decision. It stated, “This excludes all claims made after that date for which decisions and costs will also be required.”
The analysts highlighted that many individuals claiming refugee status upon arrival were entitled to stay in Canada for several years. Typical claimants were given 15 days to complete an initial claim form and then awaited a hearing at the Immigration and Refugee Board, with the option to appeal any subsequent deportation order at the Federal Court.
Claimants who are unsuccessful in court can then apply for a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment if they believe there is a threat to their life or a risk of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment upon return to their home country, as per the report. Analysts noted that actual costs to Canadian taxpayers for each false refugee claim could reach up to $40,814.
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The findings from the Budget Office followed a 2016 investigation by the immigration department that confirmed illicit brokers were selling electronic visas for as high as $85 each. The Immigration Department urged Google to “flag or disable” websites of brokers making promises of swift access to Canada.
