Canada Continues to Welcome Indian Visitors and Immigrants Amid Diplomatic Tensions

Despite the recent disagreements between India and Canada, Canadian authorities still grant visas to Indian people who want to visit or live in Canada.

In 2022, a lot of Indians became permanent residents in Canada, and many of them eventually became Canadian citizens.

However, on September 21st, BLS International, a company that helps with visa processing in Canada, temporarily stopped its services in Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver due to operational issues. But it's important to note that this suspension doesn't mean Canada is not issuing visas to Indians. Canada is still processing visa applications for Indians, even though India's foreign ministry has temporarily stopped issuing visas to Canadian citizens, regardless of where they live.

The diplomatic tension between India and Canada began when Canada's Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, accused the Indian government and its intelligence agencies of being involved in the killing of a terrorist named Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia's Surrey in June 2023. This accusation led to the expulsion of diplomats from both countries.

Trudeau claims to have credible evidence of the Indian government's involvement in the assassination. Still, he also mentioned that the tension is mainly about violating the rule of law in Canada when a Canadian citizen was killed on Canadian soil.

Despite these diplomatic issues, Canada still accepts visa applications from Indians, and there's no indication that they will stop this process. They aim to process most applications within their service standards, regardless of the applicant's nationality.

Canada is a popular destination for international students because of its reputation for safety and tolerance. In 2022, many international students in Canada were Indian, despite a warning from the Indian government in September 2022.

Canada is also a top choice for Indian immigrants, with many Indians becoming permanent residents and, eventually, Canadian citizens. Canada has ambitious immigration goals for the coming years, with plans to admit many permanent residents annually.

So, despite the diplomatic tensions, Canada remains open to Indian students and immigrants, continuing to process visa applications and welcoming people from around the world.