2013 Saw A Huge Rise In Canada Visas From Chandigarh And New Delhi

16 Jan 2014

Canada is a great destination of choice for Indians on business, visit and study visits. A large number of Canadian Study Permits and Visit Visas to Canada were issued from the New Delhi and Chandigarh offices of Canada from January to December 2013. Minister of State for Multiculturalism, the Honourable Tim Uppal, announced at the Anandpur Sahib’s Pravasi Punjabi Divas Sammelan conference that 13,613 Canadian Study Permits and 84,672 Visitor Visas to Canada were issued in 2013.

Initiated in 2008 in India, the BEP (Business Express Program) is a proof of Canada’s commitment to promoting links between India and Canada. The BEP was established to grant qualified businesses and their employees with various service advantages, including priority processing of visa applications, reduced paperwork, and a devoted service to answer to the needs of the program’s participants.

To attract visitors to Canada and to ease their travel, many new tools have been put in place. In July 2011, for example, the validity of multiple-entry visas was extended from 5 to 10 years, allowing travelers to enter and leave Canada for up to 6 months at a time over a 10-year period. Also, grandparents and parents of Canadian Permanent Residents and Citizens can now apply for the new Parent and Grandparent Super Visa, which is also valid for up to 10 years and allows grandparents and parents to live in Canada for up to 2 years at a time.

Quick facts

• In 2013, the number of issued visitor visas to Canada represents a raise of 73% since 2008.
• Since 2008, the number of issued Canadian Study Permits represents a raise of more that 321%.
• Under the BEP, 2,793 visas were issued between January and December of 2013.