Ottawa intends to revoke the citizenship of 1,800 people it believes obtained their status through fraudulent means, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney says.
The decision to revoke citizenship is rare, and a large-scale crackdown such as this one appears to be unprecedented.
The people were identified through investigations conducted across the country by police and the Citizenship and Immigration Department. People identified by the investigations will receive letters informing them of the government's decision.
The move sends a "very clear message" to anyone who thinks of abusing Canada's citizenship system, Kenney said Wednesday.
"We are in the process of notifying them that we will revoke their citizenship because Canadian citizenship is not for sale," Kenney told reporters in Toronto.
"We believe that the vast majority of new Canadian citizens respect our laws," he said. "There is a small but not insignificant number who hired crooked consultants to obtain fake proof of residency."
The decision can be contested in Federal Court, which can be a long process. If individuals choose not to contest the decision, the federal cabinet will order their passports be voided and citizenship revoked.
Kenney said he didn't expect any of the identified cases to take legal action.
"There's a very fair and exhaustive legal process," he said. "We have strong, convincing evidence of the fraudulent activity happening."
Canada is also creating a new visa for frequent visitors, valid for 10 years with limitless entrances to the country, Kenney announced.
The visas will let people come to Canada for up to six months at a time, and as many times as they want, over the 10-year period. The new permit is expected to appeal to travellers who come to Canada frequently on business or to visit family.
Kenney made the announcement in a speech to the Economic Club of Canada in Toronto.
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