Mexican citizens now need a visa to visit Canada, as new Canadian visa requirements take effect this week.

If you’re a Mexican national planning a trip to Canada — whether to go to school, to scout out potential relocation opportunities, or simply to travel — vous devez d'abord apply for a Temporary Resident Visa à travers la Ambassade du Canada à Mexico.

Citoyenneté et Immigration Canada (CIC) has created an FAQ section on its website with more information about the new visa requirements.

Selon an announcement from Citizenship, Immigration et du Multiculturalisme, Jason Kenney, the new visa requirements are the result of a huge increase in the number of Mexicans applying for refugee status in Canada:

Les demandes d'asile en provenance du Mexique ont presque triplé depuis 2005, making it the number one source country for claims. Dans 2008, plus de 9,400 claims filed in Canada came from Mexican nationals, representing 25 pour cent de toutes les demandes reçues. Of the Mexican claims reviewed and finalized in 2008 par la Commission de l'immigration et du statut de réfugié, an independent administrative tribunal, seulement 11 pour cent ont été acceptées.

“In addition to creating significant delays and spiraling new costs in our refugee program, the sheer volume of these claims is undermining our ability to help people fleeing real persecution,"A déclaré le ministre Kenney. "Trop souvent,, people who really need Canada’s protection find themselves in a long line, waiting for months and sometimes years to have their claims heard. Cette situation est inacceptable.

“The visa requirement I am announcing will give us a greater ability to manage the flow of people into Canada and verify bona fides. By taking this important step towards reducing the burden on our refugee system, we will be better equipped to process genuine refugee claims faster.”

Mexican travelers, and the Canadian tourism industry, are understandably unhappy about the decision, comme this article from the Canadian press rapports.

More background information about the new visa requirement is available from Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

Photo by abdallahh (Flickr)