Toronto: Over 70% of visa applications from Indians who applied to ostensibly attend the ongoing World Cup fixtures in Canada were rejected, according to data from the country’s immigration department.Fans watch Switzerland vs Canada football World Cup match on a big screen in Toronto, Canada, on Wednesday. (REUTERS)According to the outlet CTV News, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) processed nearly 17,000 visitor visa applications for the global football tournament. Only 41% of those were approved.Indians formed the fourth largest cohort in terms of applications, with 1,225. Of those, just 355, or about 29% were approved.Leading the field were Ghanaians, who had 1,725 applications but less than 11% were okayed IRCC. Ghana played Panama in Toronto on June 17.Next of the list were Colombians with 1,630 applications, and nearly 70% of them were approved.Surprisingly, the third highest number of applications came from Pakistan, with 1,250. Just 102, or less than nine per cent were approved.The outlet’s analysis was based on IRCC data from November 15 last year to March 31 this year.The ongoing World Cup is being hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, with the last staging a total of 13 fixtures in Toronto and Vancouver.In January this year, the Canadian government stressed that there was no special FIFA visa that would allow the holder to work or settle in the country. That statement came after a slew of misleading videos and posts emerged on social media promising such pathways to visitors obtaining a travel document for the football World Cup this summer.In a message, IRCC said, “Certain videos circulating on social media are sharing misleading information about travelling to Canada during the FIFA World Cup 26. Let’s be clear: there is no ‘FIFA visa’ or special visitor visa for the World Cup that allows you to work or settle in Canada.”It added that visitors to Canada for the tournament “are expected to respect the conditions of their stay and leave once their authorised period ends”.As the Hindustan Times reported earlier in January, some of the videos targeted Indians looking to travel to Canada either for employment or even to live in the country. In fact, IRCC warned against the use of third parties for obtaining tourist visas and asked potential travellers to apply through its own website. IRCC encouraged potential visitors for the tournament to use the words ‘FIFA World Cup ‘26’ in their application.It added they would need either a visitor visa or an electronic travel authorisation (ETA). It warned, “Beware of immigration agents who promise entry to Canada for the FIFA World Cup 26. No one can guarantee you a visa or an ETA,” and added, “Make sure all your documents are accurate, or you could risk a 5-year ban.”However, unscrupulous immigration agents are attempting to leverage the opportunity provided by the World Cup. In a post on Instagram, a travel agent based in Chandigarh stated in Punjabi, “This is a golden opportunity for those who have sought to settle in Canada for a long time.”“Canada announced new public policy that those who go to watch the FIFA World Cup, will also be able to work on the visitor visa,” the agent added in a video viewed by the Hindustan Times, along with several others.Other posts point out that no sponsors are required for attending World Cup matches, which provide a clear purpose of travel.