Canada is starting a global internet ad campaign warning asylum-seekers that it is difficult to make a claim, despite once portraying itself as one of the friendliest nations in the world to immigrants and refugees.
The immigration agency told reporters that the C$250,000 ($178,662) in ads will be displayed in 11 languages, including Tamil, Hindi, Urdu, Ukrainian, and Spanish, through March.
They are a part of a larger change in tone on immigration and an attempt to crack down on refugee claims by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s unpopular government.
High housing costs have been attributed to migrants, but other experts contend this is an oversimplified explanation, and surveys reveal that an increasing percentage of Canadians believe the nation takes in too many immigrants.
The budget for the four-month campaign is one-third of what was spent on comparable ads during the preceding seven years.
Search terms like “refugee Canada” and “how to claim asylum in Canada” will lead to sponsored material with the heading “Canada’s asylum system – Asylum Facts,” according to the ministry.
“It’s difficult to apply for asylum in Canada. To qualify, there are stringent requirements. Before making a decision that could change your life, find out what you need to know,” one advertisement says.
It has long been believed that immigrants are welcome in Canada. Its leaders are currently reducing immigration, attempting to persuade temporary residents to depart, and preventing asylum claims from those escaping U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.
“Citizenship, Refugees, and Immigration”
In an email, a department official stated, “Canada is working to combat the spread of misinformation and disinformation about Canada’s immigration system and to highlight the risks of working with unauthorized representatives.”
BACKLOG OF REFUGEE CASES
It could be a difficult task. As the number of refugees worldwide rises, Canada’s refugee system is confronted with a backlog of 260,000 cases. The government has limited authority over asylum petitions.
Its immigration minister has alluded to expediting claims that are seen to be unlikely to be successful.
The immigration minister has threatened to deport millions of individuals if they do not leave the country on their own when their visas expire, a move that the administration hopes will happen.
This is a significant reversal for a government that has been welcoming for years.
When Trump took office in January 2017, Trudeau tweeted, “Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith, if you are fleeing persecution, terror, and war.”
Our strength is in diversity. #WelcomeToCanada.
Almost eight years later, on November 17, Trudeau released a video in which he defended the immigration policy of his government and denounced “bad actors” who “have been exploiting our immigration system for their own interests.”
The Liberal administration, which was losing support in the polls, declared last month that it was cutting back on both temporary and permanent immigration.
For the next two years, the population is expected to decline somewhat.
Laptops 1000Jamie Chai Yun Liew, a law professor and immigration specialist at the University of Ottawa, suggested that advertising campaigns that dispel myths about the asylum application process could be beneficial.
“But if they’re saying, ‘You’re not welcome,’… It does appear to be at odds with Canada’s previous strategy,” she stated. “They’ve switched their messaging.”
