Having presented itself as one of the world’s most welcoming countries to refugees and migrants, Canada launched a global online ad campaign warning asylum seekers that applying is difficult.
The ads, which will cost $178,662, will run until March in 11 languages, including Spanish, Urdu, Ukrainian, Hindi and Tamil, the Immigration Department told Reuters.
They are part of a broader shift in tone by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s unpopular government on immigration and an effort to curb refugee claims.
Migrants have been blamed for high housing prices, although experts argue this is a simplistic explanation, and surveys show a growing number of Canadians believe the country is taking in too many newcomers.
The four-month campaign has a budget that is equivalent to one-third of the total spending on similar ads over the previous seven years.
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Search queries such as “how to apply for asylum in Canada” and “refugee Canada” will trigger sponsored content titled “Canada’s asylum system: facts about asylum,” the ministry said.
“Applying for asylum in Canada is not easy. There are strict guidelines for qualifying. Discover what you need to know before making a decision that will change your life,” says one of the ads.
Canada has always been considered a welcoming place for newcomers. Now, its leaders are reducing immigration and trying to get temporary residents to leave and prevent people fleeing US President-elect Donald Trump from seeking asylum.
“Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is working to combat the spread of misinformation about Canada’s immigration system and to highlight the risks of working with unauthorized representatives,” a department spokesperson wrote in an email.
Backlog of refugee cases
It could be a difficult battle. Canada’s refugee system faces a backlog of 260,000 cases amid growing global displacement. The government has little control over who applies for asylum.
His immigration minister has hinted that applications deemed unlikely to succeed will be fast-tracked. The government expects millions of people to leave the country on their own when their visas expire, and the immigration minister has threatened to deport them if they don’t.
It is a dramatic turn for a government that for years rolled out the red carpet.
In January 2017, when Trump took office, Trudeau tweeted: “To those fleeing persecution, terror and war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeTOCanada.”
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On November 17, almost eight years later, Trudeau released a video promoting his government’s immigration policies, calling out “bad actors” who “have been exploiting our immigration system for their own interests.”
Last month, the Liberal government, which trails in the polls, announced it will reduce permanent and temporary immigration. The population is projected to decline slightly over two years.
Advertising campaigns to counter misinformation about how to apply for asylum could be helpful, said University of Ottawa law professor and immigration expert Jamie Chai Yun Liew.
“On the other hand, if they’re saying ‘You’re not welcome’ … it seems contrary to the approach Canada has taken in the past,” he said. “They have changed their message.”
With information from Reuters
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