Reasons for Canadian Visa Rejection

When people apply for Canadian immigration, they naturally hope to be approved, so they can enjoy the many benefits of living in Canada.

In the back of their minds, however, there may be some anxiety that they might experience Canada visa rejection instead. 

The good news is that most skilled foreign workers who satisfy the eligibility requirements for Canadian immigration programs and complete the application process correctly are approved for permanent residency in Canada.

Nonetheless, Canada visa rejection does occur for many people due to various reasons.

This article will discuss the major reasons for Canadian visa rejection and how to avoid them, so keep reading to learn more about this important topic!

Table of Contents

Top Reasons For Canada Visa Rejection

  • Ineligibility – The applicant did not satisfy all of the eligibility requirements for the Canadian visa program.
  • Lacking Required Documents – The applicant did not provide all of the required supporting documents. 
  • Criminal Inadmissibility – The applicant was criminally inadmissible because of a past arrest and/or conviction.
  • Security Inadmissibility – The applicant was involved in violence, terrorism, subversion, espionage, organized crime, etc.
  • Health Inadmissibility – The applicant could be a danger to public health/safety or put excessive demand on health or social services.
  • Incomplete Forms – The applicant did not complete all of the forms and/or did not complete them correctly.
  • Misrepresentation – The applicant provided misleading or false information or withheld relevant information.
  • Missing Application Deadline – The applicant did not submit the application, documents and fees by the deadline.
  • Insufficient Financial Resources – The applicant did not show proof of fund to support himself/herself and family.

Can I Appeal After Rejection?

An individual can re-apply for Canadian immigration if information will be given that was not provided in the original application (for example, if the information could potentially make a difference in regards to the Canada visa rejection).

The exception to this rule is if the Canadian immigration agency has stated in its decision letter that a person cannot re-apply. 

Can a Canada Visa Be Rejected After Approval?

It is possible for Canada visa rejection to occur after approval in certain circumstances such as:

  • It is discovered that the applicant provided false or misleading information
  • It is determined that the applicant is inadmissible for criminal, security or health reasons
  • The individual’s travel document (for example, passport) expired
  • The new immigrant’s Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) expired
  • The Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) officer does not approve entry into Canada 

How Can I Avoid Visa Rejection in Canada?

There are several ways to avoid Canada visa rejection including:

  • Make sure you satisfy the eligibility criteria for the Canadian immigration program you are applying for
  • Complete all applications and forms correctly and submit them before any deadline
  • Pay the relevant governmental fees when required
  • Be truthful when filling out applications and forms (do not give false or misleading information)
  • Obey the law and do not get arrested or convicted of a crime 
  • Be able to prove with adequate documentation that you can support yourself and family after moving to Canada
  • Start gathering the required supporting documents early in the process so you can provide what is needed

Can I Re-Apply For a Visa After a Refusal?

You can re-apply after Canada visa rejection if you will provide additional information (i.e., that could potentially make a difference in the visa decision) and you were not told in the decision letter from the Canadian immigration agency that you cannot re-apply.

Should I Re-Apply on My Own?

You can re-apply on your own following Canadian visa rejection, however, it may be helpful to retain the services of an authorized immigration consultant or lawyer, since he or she could have knowledge and insights that may be useful to your case.

In regards to whether or not you should re-apply, that will depend on the reasons for Canadian visa rejection and if the decision letter from Canada’s immigration agency says that you cannot re-apply. 

Conclusion

The annual Canadian immigration levels are being increased to record levels, due in large part to the high demand for skilled foreign workers across Canada.

According to the government’s plan, 485,000 immigrants can become Canadian permanent residents in 2024; 500,000 during 2025 and another 500,000 in 2026.

About 60% of these new Canadian permanent residents will be skilled foreign workers and their family members.

Most economic immigrants who apply for permanent residency in Canada are approved if they satisfy all of the eligibility requirements for Canadian immigration and complete the entire application process correctly.

The first step is to learn if you meet the eligibility requirements for a particular Canadian immigration program.

Once you know which Canadian immigration program is right for you, then you need to correctly complete each step of the procedure and if all goes well, you could become a Canadian permanent resident.

Canadian permanent residents can live, study and work in Canada for an unlimited amount of time; receive free or subsidized public healthcare; have the opportunity to buy a home and/or start a business in Canada; sponsor eligible family members for Canadian permanent residency; travel to and from Canada; and apply for Canadian citizenship after living in Canada for three out of five years and meeting other criteria!

Since 2012, Canadian Visa Experts has been working with authorized immigration consultants who can evaluate your eligibility and also guide you through each step of the application process if you qualify.

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GENERAL INFORMATION

Discover Frequently Asked Questions from Our Support

The specific reasons for Canadian visa rejection will be stated in the decision letter from the Canadian immigration agency. In general, Canada visa rejection may occur because the applicant did not satisfy all of the eligibility requirements for the Canadian immigration program that was applied for; the application was incomplete; application deadlines were not met; all of the required supporting documents were not provided; all of the required governmental fees were not paid; the applicant was inadmissible for criminal, security or health reasons; lack of adequate financial resources to support oneself and family in Canada; and misleading or false information was provided or relevant information was withheld.    

Reasons someone may be rejected for Canada permanent residency could include making false statements or failure to provide relevant information; not meeting the criteria for the Canadian immigration program that was applied for; criminal inadmissibility; security inadmissibility; health inadmissibility; not completing the application or forms fully or correctly; not providing all of the required supporting documents; not applying by the deadline; not paying the governmental fees; and not demonstrating proof of funds to support oneself and family while living in Canada.  

The chances of Canadian visa rejection will depend on various factors, such as the type of visa being applied for, the applicant’s country of citizenship, whether the applicant is eligible for the visa being applied for, whether the person applies for the visa correctly, whether they have adequate financial resources (if relevant) and whether the applicant is inadmissible for health, criminal or security reasons. The chances of Canada visa rejection are low for skilled foreign workers who apply for Canadian permanent residency through economic immigration programs, meet all of the eligibility requirements and complete the application process correctly.

If Canada visa rejection occurs, keep in mind that you may have other options available. First of all, pay close attention to the reasons for Canadian visa rejection that are provided in the decision letter from Canada’s immigration agency. In the event that the decision letter does not say that you cannot re-apply and if the reason for Canadian visa rejection is something that you might potentially remedy (for example, you didn’t include certain required supporting documents that you can provide or your application was incomplete, etc.), then you could possibly re-apply and this time address whatever the issue was as stated in the decision letter. If you simply were not eligible for a particular Canadian immigration program, you might check if you could meet the criteria for a different Canadian visa program. You may want to explore alternative options to immigrate to other countries, such as the UK, USA or Australia.   

Canada is known for being one of the world’s most immigrant-friendly countries, welcoming over 450,000 new immigrants per year, besides the hundreds of thousands of temporary foreign workers, international students and others who are issued Canadian visas each year through different programs. In general, visa rejection is low in Canada, but this will depend on which type of visa is being applied for, the country of citizenship, whether the applicant meets all of the criteria for the Canadian visa program being applied for, whether the application process is completed correctly, whether the applicant is inadmissible, etc. Canadian visa rejection is generally low for skilled foreign workers who apply for economic immigrant programs. 

This will depend on the reason for Canadian visa rejection, as stated in the decision letter. Unless the decision letter says that an individual cannot re-apply, it may be possible to re-apply for the Canadian visa and next time address the issue (if possible) that was stated in the decision letter as the reason for Canadian visa rejection. In the event that Canada visa rejection occurred because the applicant did not meet all of the eligibility criteria for the Canadian visa program, the person could try to address the issue(s) or, perhaps, apply for a different Canadian visa program that he or she is eligible for.

The success rate for skilled foreign workers who apply for a permanent resident visa to Canada in 2023 is good if they meet all of the criteria for the particular Canadian immigration program, they complete the application process correctly, they have adequate financial resources to support themselves and their family members after moving to Canada, and they are not inadmissible for health, criminal or security reasons, etc. A record 465,000 immigrants are expected to be approved for Canadian permanent residency in 2023 and about 60% of them will be skilled foreign workers and their family members.

The amount of time for a Canada visa to be approved will depend on the particular Canadian visa program that is being applied for. Skilled foreign workers who apply for Canadian immigration through the Express Entry system can generally expect to receive a decision within six months after they submit their complete application for permanent residency in Canada, however, the entire process from start to finish takes approximately 12-18 months.

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