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Pakistanis, Afghans finding visas elusive for entry to Canada

By MARK MacKINNON, ISLAMABAD

Ahmed Akhoon figures he has what it takes to be successful immigrant to Canada. He's educated- with a bachelor of computer science-and is employed in Karachi as a computer programmer. He also has the money to pay the tuition as a foreign student, should he be accepted into the master's programmer at the University of Toronto as he hopes.

But the 21-year old Pakistani also knows he has one big strike against him: he's a young male Muslim from a region accused of harbouring terrorists.

"Its difficult right now after the Sept. 11 tragedy, to go to Canada," Mr. Akhoon said as he stood in line to apply for a visa at the Canadian High Commission.

"It's a view shared by the others waiting in the lineup, ranging from Pakistani professionals to Afghan refugees.

Some applied more than two years ago for permission to immigrate to Canada, and almost all said progress had stopped on their files Sept. 11.

The disillusioned would-be immigrants are not imagining things. Staff at the western embassies in Islamabad confirm that they're under new marching orders.

Until the terrorist attacks-and the sudden focus on the extremist elements in Pakistan society that followed- Pakistani society that followed-Pakistan had been one of the fastest-growing points of origin for new immigrants to Canada.

In 2000, according to Citizenship and Immigration Canada, more than 15,000 people made the move from Pakistan to Canada.

That number is nearly double the figure of only two years earlier. Only China and India, both countries with much larger population than Pakistan, supplied more people that year.

Most of those who emigrated , according to Western diplomat, were Pakistan's "best and brightest,"who wanted to leave behind the instability of their homeland.

In Ottawa, a federal officials disputed the suggestion that fewer immigrants are accepted through the mission in Islamabad, the only one in Pakistan.

Susan Scarlett, an Immigration spokeswoman ,said the Islamabad office issued nearly 9,000 immigration visas last year, despite local trouble that led to some of its staff being pulled out temporarily after the U.S bombing campaign began in Afghanistan in October.

The number was down in comparison to the previous year's big crop of visas, but the upward trend appears to have resumed this year, she said. "It seems very clear that office is very productive."

"Mitchell Brownstein, a Montreal immigration lawyer, said long waits are not unique to people from countries with Muslim populations, although they may face more elaborate security checks. "

" The Canadian embassies have been slowing down all over the world over the last several years," he said."In the last three, four, five , six months, they've been even slower, and the reason they give is they have a very big backlog at the Canadian embassies, and that's why the laws now are being changed. "

Proposed federal regulations would raise the bar for newcomers. Where they formerly regulation would raise the bar for newcomers. Where they formerly had to score 70 of a possible 110 points( for such things as education, work experience and language skills), they would need 80.

The feeling in Islamabad is that Canada is no longer welcoming Pakistani immigrants.

"For every 100 of my clients that were accepted before, maybe five are now," said immigration consulate Mohammed Azeem.

"Canada is under pressure from the U.S.A after their policies more difficult, especially for Pakistanis," he said. "The people who are being turned away are graduate engineers, information-technology professionals and master's degree holders who are expert in their profession. They cannot go to Canada "

Mr. Azeem said he has begun telling those who want to move to Canada they should try applying to Australia and New Zealand instead.

"It surprised me, because immigrants have played a very vital role in the development of Canada" he added. "I don't know why immigration Department is doing such a thing. Ninety-nine per cent of Pakistanis are peaceful. They are not militants"

The worst off, however may be Afghan refugees. Canada accepted about 2,500 refugees from Afghanistan in 2000, about 8 per cent of the 30,000 refugees allowed in that year. But many still waiting for their claims to be accepted to go to Canada may have passed.

Shabnam, who like many Afghans uses only one name , said her family's situation has become desperate since her father died, leaving her mother to care for the 17-year-old and her younger brother. They lined up at the Canadian mission yesterday, hoping for information about the application they submitted two years ago.

Shabnam's two year older sisters live in Canada. She wants to join them and attend university.

"We have so many problems here. We don't have our own home, security is not good, my mother cannot get work and we cannot study " she said

"We'd like to go to Canada like my sister, but it's harder now. Especially for Muslims."