Asylum claims are breaking records in Canada. For 2022, the number of applicants rose to nearly 100,000, a marked increase compared to previous years.
According to federal data, “never before have so many people sought refuge in Canada. In 2022, a total of 92,175 asylum seekers crossed the border”. This is a 44% increase compared to 2019, before the start of the pandemic and the closing of borders.
The land borders with the United States, at Roxham Road, are not the only point of entry for asylum seekers, according to the same figures. This crossing point represents less than half (42%) of asylum applications in 2022, i.e. nearly 40,000 people.
Thousands of asylum seekers arrived last year by air, in particular by Montreal airport, adds the Canadian media. Mexico, Haiti, Colombia, Venezuela and Turkey are the countries of origin of the large number of asylum seekers who mainly choose to settle in Quebec.