Canada’s immigration authorities have said that not a single Indian national who travelled to the country during the FIFA World Cup on a visitor visa applied for asylum, countering concerns that the global sporting event could be used as a route for irregular migration. The clarification came after official data revealed that asylum claims linked to World Cup visitors were filed by people from several countries, but none by Indian citizens.
According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), 175 people who had identified “FIFA World Cup 26” as the purpose of their visit in their temporary residence applications later sought asylum after arriving in Canada. These applicants belonged to a dozen countries, including Ghana, Colombia, Egypt, Kenya, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria, Nepal, China and Senegal. However, India was not among the countries represented in the asylum claims, despite being one of the largest sources of visitor visa applications for the tournament.
The development assumes significance because Canadian authorities had, months before the tournament, warned against misinformation being spread by immigration agents claiming that the FIFA World Cup offered an easy pathway to settle or work in Canada. Officials had repeatedly clarified that there was no special “FIFA visa” and that all visitors were required to enter on regular visitor visas or electronic travel authorisations (eTA), depending on their nationality. They also stressed that attending the football tournament did not provide any special immigration benefits or create a pathway to permanent residency or refugee status.
Earlier this year, Canadian authorities also launched an awareness campaign cautioning prospective travellers against fraudulent immigration consultants and agents who promised jobs or permanent settlement under the guise of World Cup travel. The government warned applicants that submitting false documents or misleading information could result in severe penalties, including visa refusals and multi-year bans from entering Canada.
India had figured prominently in World Cup-related visa applications submitted to Canada. Official figures showed that Indian nationals filed 1,225 visitor visa applications linked to the tournament, making them the fourth-largest group of applicants. However, only 355 applications were approved, translating into an approval rate of around 29 per cent, while more than 70 per cent were rejected. The low approval rate reflected Canada’s stricter immigration screening measures implemented ahead of the tournament.
Canadian officials have maintained that visa officers carefully assessed applicants to ensure they met the conditions for temporary entry and intended to return home after the event. They also reiterated that border officials retained the authority to deny entry if travellers were found not to meet admissibility requirements, regardless of whether they held a valid visa.
The absence of any asylum claims from Indian visitors is likely to be viewed positively by both Canadian authorities and the Indian community, especially in the backdrop of repeated warnings against visa fraud and misuse of international sporting events for immigration purposes. It also comes amid closer scrutiny of visitor visa applications from several countries as Canada continues to tighten its immigration policies while balancing security concerns with tourism and international travel.
The FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico, attracted thousands of international visitors, with Canada staging matches in Toronto and Vancouver. Despite heightened vigilance over potential immigration misuse, Canadian authorities have indicated that the overwhelming majority of genuine visitors complied with the conditions of their stay, while enforcement measures remain in place for any violations of immigration laws.
