Canada’s updated immigration guidelines to cancel already issued visas and permits could create a “chilling effect” for applicants, particularly those from South Asia, observers have warned.

The papers indicate that the Canadian Immigration Department and Border Services Agency are working with the United States to identify and cancel suspicious visitor visa applications.

A departmental presentation to the immigration minister’s office was said to have described India and Bangladesh as “country-specific challenges”. It suggested that the powers could be used during pandemics, wars or for “country-specific visa holders”.

Citing Canadian immigration as saying that the new power was not aimed at targeting any specific nationality, the report also said officials had become increasingly concerned over a rise in fraudulent visa applications from India.