According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data, a record number of 5,152 Indians have entered the USA on foot from Canada since June. Experts believe that most immigrants are crossing via the Mexico route since December. The number of undocumented Indians in the US and Canada has reached an all-time high, despite both countries having scanners. Canada-bound Indians are also seeking asylum in the UK while in transit. The Canada-USA border, the longest in the world, stretches across 9,000 km. The average monthly number of Indians caught at the USA-Canada border during the first half of this year has increased by 47 percent, according to reports.

Despite strict regulations and security checks, Indians have taken this route to enter the USA. According to a report from the Boston Consulting Group, Indian Americans make up 1.5 percent of the US population but account for 5-6 percent of income tax payers. Another report stated that asylum claims at UK ports have increased by 136 percent. Most of these claimants are Canada-bound transit passengers with stopovers in the United Kingdom. The governments of the USA and UK have informed Canada about this trend. The USA has sought a more rigorous visa screening process, while the UK government says that all Indian nationals residing in Canada should obtain transit visas for stopovers.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) declined to comment on the matter. The main reasons for this trend are Canada’s accessible visa system and soft border. Canada has witnessed a huge rise in asylum claims from Indian nationals, according to reports from the Refugee Protection Division (RPD). Claims reached 9,060 last year and 6,056 between January and March of this year. A US Presidential Proclamation in June temporarily suspended the entry of some non-US citizens. While the Canada border is attracting undocumented Indians to the US, the UK’s appeal lies in the exemption for Canada-bound Indians from obtaining transit visas for London stopovers.

-Sanyogita