Canada has officially ended the issuance of 10-year multiple-entry visas for Nigerian citizens and nationals of other countries, as part of new measures aimed at regulating immigration in response to a post-COVID population surge.
Previously, the multiple-entry visa allowed holders to freely enter and exit Canada over a ten-year period. However, an update from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) clarified that such long-term multiple-entry visas are no longer considered “standard documents.”
The IRCC stated, “Guidance has been updated to indicate that multiple-entry visas issued to maximum validity are no longer considered to be the standard document.” Immigration officers will now have increased discretion to issue either single-entry or multiple-entry visas and set their validity periods on a case-by-case basis.
This update follows recent changes to Canada’s immigration targets. In October, IRCC announced a reduction in its target for new permanent residents, lowering the goal for 2025 from 500,000 to 395,000. The targets for subsequent years will also see gradual reductions, with plans to admit 380,000 permanent residents in 2026 and 365,000 in 2027.
These adjustments reflect Canada’s ongoing efforts to balance population growth with available resources and infrastructure amid changing post-pandemic conditions.
