Canada has ended ‘flagpoling’ for immigrants. What is the practice?

globalnews.ca:

As of midnight on Monday, the immigration practice known as ‘flagpoling’ was officially ended, the Canada Border Services Agency said in a press release.

According to the CBSA, flagpoling occurs when foreign nationals who hold temporary resident status in Canada leave the country and, after a visit to the United States or St. Pierre and Miquelon, re-enter to access immigration services at a port of entry.

The agency said work and study permits will no longer be provided to flagpolers at a port of entry, effective Dec. 23 at 11:59 p.m. eastern.

“This practice has taken up significant resources at the border, diverting Canadian and American officers away from important enforcement activities and has contributed to wait times for cross-border travellers,” the CBSA press release said.

Manan Gupta, a regulated Canadian immigration consultant based in Brampton, Ont., said that “this has become a very popular trend in recent years.”

This generally happens when someone needs a visa or an extension on short notice.

“If someone gets a job offer and they have to start soon, they often resort to flagpoling to get same-day visa services,” he said.

Essentially, when flagpoling, a person exits Canada and reports to U.S. border officials, indicating that they intend to return to Canada and not to remain in the United States.

Upon reaching the Canadian point of entry, the CBSA can then consider the person’s application for the immigration service they are looking to receive.

“They can simply tell the U.S. border agent that you don’t have a U.S. visa and they will turn you around before you can enter the U.S. You could then enter Canada, where CBSA agents would process your application,” Gupta said. “You can imagine why this was an