As per the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi, Canada is the second most preferred destination for Indians. MEA data further suggests that over 1.6 lakh Indians gave up their citizenship to become Canadian nationals.

Ottawa: Amid the ongoing diplomatic dispute between Canada and India, Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller said that visa processing of Indians looking to come to Canada will slow down for now. The reason for the slowdown is India’s request that Canada reduce the number of diplomats it has stationed in India, Miller confirmed on Thursday.

This comes after Canada removed 41 of its diplomats from India, following India’s decision to unilaterally remove immunities for all but 21 Canadian diplomats and their dependents in Delhi by October 20, 2023.

The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced that it has temporarily suspended visa and in-person consular services in Bengaluru, Chandigarh and Mumbai, adding that visa applicants from India can expect delays in processing times over the next few months. It however added that In-person consular services will remain available at the Canada High Commission in New Delhi.

In its travel advisory for India that was updated on October 19, Canada said, “In the context of recent developments in Canada and in India, there are calls for protests and some negative sentiment towards Canada in traditional media and on social media.”

As per the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi, Canada is the second most preferred destination for Indians. MEA data further suggests that over 1.6 lakh Indians gave up their citizenship to become Canadian nationals.

Every year, at least one lakh Indians, if not more, apply for a Canadian visa, be it for higher education, jobs or permanent residency.

The diplomatic dispute between the two countries started on September 18 when Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accusing India of murdering a prominent Sikh activist in Canada, Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Canada alleges India’s involvement in the killing of Nijjar in suburban Vancouver. India denies involvement, accusing Canada of harboring separatists and taking diplomatic steps to protest the accusation.