Authorities have rejected about 6,000 visa applications because they fear the pilgrims will use the trip to immigrate illegally into Canada, sources in Toronto told the Misna missionary agency.
Many of those rejected applications had come from young people in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Uganda and Sudan, sources said. Many had sacrificed a lot to pay their airfare.
The Canadian bishops’ conference estimates that about 300,000 young people will arrive in the country for World Youth Day, set for July 23-28.
