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 — you must first apply for a Temporary Resident Visa through the Canadian Embassy in Mexico City.

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

According to an announcement from Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney, the new visa requirements are the result of a huge increase in the number of Mexicans applying for refugee status in Canada:

Refugee claims from Mexico have almost tripled since 2005, making it the number one source country for claims. In 2008, more than 9,400 claims filed in Canada came from Mexican nationals, representing 25 per cent of all claims received. Of the Mexican claims reviewed and finalized in 2008 by the Immigration and Refugee Board, an independent administrative tribunal, only 11 per cent were accepted.

“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,” said Minister Kenney. “All too often, people who really need Canada’s protection find themselves in a long line, waiting for months and sometimes years to have their claims heard. This is unacceptable.

“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, as this article from the Canadian press reports.

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

Photo by abdallahh (flickr)