The repatriation of Mexicans from Canada, which began in 2019, has reached unprecedented levels, with over a thousand returns per year.
This phenomenon, initially unrecorded, began to grow gradually from the second half of 2019 and reached historic levels in the first seven months of 2024. Statistics from the Migration Policy Unit of the Ministry of the Interior show a sustained increase in repatriations since 2019, when 12 Mexicans were returned throughout the year.
In 2020, the number rose to 155 in the first seven months, 161 in 2021, and 229 in 2022. The cases skyrocketed in 2023 and 2024, with 1,020 and 1,244 expulsions recorded in the first seven months of each year, respectively—an increase of over 700 percent. In 2024 alone, an average of 3.4 Mexicans were expelled from Canada per day.
Reasons for Increase
Experts attribute the rise in repatriations to the denial of asylum applications, particularly for those fleeing violence. Javier Urbano Reyes, a researcher from the Department of International Studies at the Universidad Iberoamericana, explained that many repatriations are also linked to labor violations.
“This is related to Canada’s fear of a disproportionate increase in asylum seekers from Mexico, which surged due to violence. Canada is one of the top countries for asylum requests, and many Mexicans seeking international protection were eventually repatriated,” Urbano Reyes said. He emphasized that this phenomenon is distinct from the regional migration crisis, as it involves individuals displaced by violence in Mexico.
Visa and Refugee Policies
The surge in repatriations coincides with the celebration of 80 years of diplomatic relations between Mexico and Canada. However, in the same year, Canada reimposed visas on Mexicans, reduced refugee applications, and limited the arrival of foreign students and workers. This decision was partly due to around 25,000 Mexicans entering Canada incorrectly as refugees to settle and find employment.
In response, Justin Trudeau’s administration announced the reactivation of the visa program for Mexicans after receiving 26,000 refugee applications. Several of these applications were accepted, with the government providing monthly checks of around 400 Canadian dollars. Canadian legislators warned that this strategy strained government resources.
Economic Relations
Mexico remains one of Canada’s largest trading partners, with over 49.7 billion in bilateral exchanges. In 2022, Mexico exported 22.2 billion to Canada, making it Canada’s second-largest export partner globally.
Source: Milenio
