Many visitors entered Canada via the expedited visa pathway and have applied for asylum, reflecting the demand created during COVID-19’s border closure. As of February 29, 2024, around 152,400 visas were issued under this program, including 7,300 Super Visas for parents and grandparents. An internal memo revealed 19,400 visitor asylum claims under this program, constituting 13% of visa holders. In 2023, 14% of the 137,947 refugee claimants were from this program. The number may increase as many visa holders have not arrived in Canada. The temporary policy waived financial proof and future departure requirements but retained security, criminal, and medical clearances.
