Canada could become a “preferred destination over the EU” for those seeking refugee status, as anti-immigration sentiment rises in Europe and the continent tightens its borders, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) report said. RelatedThe report was mainly concerned with whether migrants who had made refugee claims in European countries would attempt to reach Canada if their asylum claims were rejected. The report also suggests officials failed to anticipate the jump in refugee claims now underway in Canada, predicting an increase of only six per cent between 2015 and 2016. Between 2014 and 2016, refugee claims referred to the IRB increased 69 per cent, from 14,000 to 23,600. Among the issues to be discussed are “perimeter security and traveller screening” as well as immigration and refugee policies, his department said.

Source: National Post March 08, 2017 23:37 UTC