Visa wars with Czech Republic and Mexico

[axolotl]

Has anyone been following the media coverage about the somewhat sudden elimination of visa-free travel for Mexican and Czech tourists visiting Canada? This was done ostensibly to stem the tide of refugees from both countries (whose citizens make up the lion's share of Canada's recent refugee claims). Mexico I might be able to understand, but Czech Republic is a part of the EU. Couldn't they just move to France or Britain or another EU country?

Anyway, both countries have retaliated with their own visa requirements on diplomats and other officials (but not tourists, which seems more symbolic than anything). But the Czechs are now pushing the EU to approve a visa requirements for ALL Canadians visiting the EU (which Sweden, who currently holds the EU presidency, agrees with).

Seems like a diplomatic disaster. I don't think the issue is with the visas themselves but with the way they were implemented, seemingly overnight and with minimal consultation. I understand the need to protect borders and to not overburden Canada's already flailing refugee system, but surely there must be a better way to do this than to piss off a whole lot of countries?

[Steven]

The reason why they did it was the number of Roma claiming asylum, went from zero in 2006 when there was a visa requirement to several hundred a year.

Arguing that they could move somewhere else in the EU isn't much of an option: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/may/17/italy and: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/06/1 ... ks017.html

The problem with Mexicans is because of the crackdown in the US, which means a lot of them just drive up, enter the country then claim asylum in Canada so they want to give CBSA greater power to deny entry at the POE to prevent bogus asylum claims.

The most bizarre one I remember was at a POE I think the one at Carway, and some Mexicans were dropped off by a pick-up truck then ran into the mountains to get around the POE and they reckoned all but one of them died of exposure. On the news they interviewed one of the CBSA guys and he was like: "er... they're not illegal in Canada, we would have let them in."

[axolotl]

I thought that the Safe Third Country Agreement would not permit Mexicans entering Canada via the US from applying for asylum at a land POE? Or are they exempt because of NAFTA?

As for the Czechs, I wonder if the US has seen a spike in refugee claims from that country since they just added the Czech Republic to the VWP. And don't Mexicans already need a visa to enter the US?

[Steven]

It has to be adjudicated and while that happens they get to stay and get work authorization. So the way to stop them is to require a visa then they have to state their intent at that point. This is the theory at least.