The federal government has halted “flagpoling” just in time for Christmas, but what is this practice and what are the ramifications of Ottawa’s decision?
Flagpoling occurs when a temporary resident of Canada leaves the country and then re-enters to access immigration services. The practice is used to speed up documents such as work and study permits because they are processed more quickly at the Canadian border than if an individual makes an application from inside Canada, according to a Dec. 23 government news release.
However, as of midnight on Dec. 24, work and study permits will no longer be provided at point of entry, the press release said.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller first announced the change targeting the practice during a joint Dec. 17 press conference with former Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc.
“Flagpoling uses up valuable resources on both sides of the border, slows border traffic and prevents officers on both sides of the border from focusing on more critical tasks,” Miller said during the news conference.
“When this change comes into effect, temporary residents already in Canada will have to apply online to extend their stay and flagpoling will no longer be an option.”
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Ottawa said anyone attempting to flagpole for a work or study permit will be told to apply to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada.
More than 69,300 flagpole incidents occurred between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024, the government said.
The majority of these requests were made in the Pacific, Southern Ontario, and Quebec regions.
Some exceptions will apply, the government said, including citizens or permanent residents of the U.S., professionals under free trade agreements, spouses or common-law partners of those under free trade agreements, international truck drivers with a work permit, and those with a pre-existing Canada Border Services appointment for permit processing.
Ottawa said it is making other immigration changes, including eliminating a point-based benefit for permanent residents offered a job through a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). LMIA jobs are worth between 50 and 200 points in Canada’s express entry system. However, reports surfaced of fraud in the system, where applicants were paying money for LMIA jobs.
“It’s being gamed and I think recognizing that there’s fraud that comes under different forms,” Miller said. “I have a particular role in making sure that people aren’t leveraging that to get, for example, permanent residency.”
The change will come into effect in spring of 2025.
The government said it will also introduce legislative amendments allowing it to suspend or cancel immigration documents, such as visas, if it is considered in the public interest. Miller cited mass fraud as an example.
The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
