June 19, 2018 – The latest official figures show the number of people illegally crossing the Canadian border from the U.S. dropped in May.
The month saw 1,869 people intercepted by the RCMP between border points, down from 2,560 in April.
Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen has also said the unofficial figures for June show the number has dropped further.
However, the total figure for the first five months of 2018 has reached 9,481 border crossers, with more than 9,000 of them crossing into Quebec.
How Many Border Crossers Have Entered Canada In 2018?
Figures: Government of Canada
Hussen puts it down to federal government outreach efforts, delivering the message that crossing the border illegally is not a free ticket to Canada.
The federal government has been working with the Nigerian government given the majority of 2018 border crossers have been from the African country.
This caught officials unawares, after previous campaigns were focused on Central and South American countries.
Given the flow of ‘irregular migration’ has proven unpredictable, Hussen has vowed to continue the information campaign aimed at various communities in the U.S.
Read More
Significant Increase In Illegal Canada-U.S. Border Crossers Worries Authorities
Quebec and Federal Officials Reach Agr eement Over Rising Asylum Seeker Numbers
Canada 2017 Asylum Claim Numbers Break Two-Decade Record
Tackling Illegal Border Crossings (Video)
Many have predicted a new momentum to asylum-seeker numbers in reaction to Donald Trump’s new policy of separating migrant children from their parents.
Images of children being kept in cages have spread around the world, causing outrage.
Quebec continues to receive the overwhelming majority of illegal border crossers, including 1,775 out of the 1,869 recorded in May.
Overall, 96 per cent of 2018 illegal border crossers have crossed into Quebec, the majority of them via a section of the border in Lacolle.
How Many Borders Crossers Have Entered Quebec?
| Province | Interceptions |
| New Brunswick | 0 |
| Quebec | 9,082 |
| Ontario | 0 |
| Manitoba | 188 |
| Saskatchewan | 0 |
| Alberta | 5 |
| British Columbia | 206 |
| TOTAL | 9,481 |
Figures: Government of Canada
Why Are Migrants Crossing The Border From U.S. To Canada?
The original 2017 surge in irregular border crossing came after Trump began his crackdown on migrants with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in the U.S.
Trump’s latest move to separate children from their parents has led to renewed calls for Canada to suspend the Safe Third Country Agreement.
The Safe Third Country Agreement means asylum seekers who arrive at an official Canada border point from the U.S. are turned away, as both countries are considered safe for refugees.
However, if migrants cross the border at an unrecognized point, they are arrested and enter the Canadian asylum system.
Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act requires the countries considered ‘safe’ to be continually reviewed.
Immigration.ca Managing Partner Colin Singer was recently interviewed on CBC News on the asylum seeker issue.
Find out what he said here:
Interested employers: Kindly contact us here to receive further information.
Interested candidates: Find out whether you qualify to Canada by completing our free on-line evaluation. We will provide you with our evaluation within 1-2 business days.
Read more news about Canada Immigration by clicking here.
