Canadian and United States authorities said they concluded to have limited number of ports of entry (POEs) that can be used as flagpoling sites to reduce the processing stress on officers at the border.
This development was contained in statements by Canadian and U.S. officials which indicated that new changes to flagpoling are largely due to increased traffic at the Canada-U.S. border.
It disclosed that only 12 Canada-U.S. border crossings will offer flagpoling services to newcomers.
Flagpoling is a practice by which temporary residents receive immigration services in person at a POE, by exiting and returning to Canada within 24 hours.
This process is legal and has gained popularity for its ability to mitigate long processing times that often follow an application to Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) when applying online.
While flagpoling is legitimate, the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) advised that wait times can be extensive, just as it encouraged newcomers to pursue online services with IRCC where possible.
CBSA also added that the limited POEs will enhance officers efficiency as it would enable them to focus on priority areas.
The statement further said that newcomers can access flagpoling services at some designated locations in Quebec region, Southern Ontario, Pacific region respectively.
Speaking on the development at a press conference, U.S. Senate Majority Leader, Chuck Schumer who aligned with the move, elaborated on the problem, saying that the increased immigration traffic and wait times put Niagra Falls and New York economies at risk.
Upperhill News 
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