Canada adds 8 countries to safe-place list

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OTTAWA, Feb. 15 (UPI) -- Canadian officials added eight countries to a list of safe places, making it harder for refugees from those nations to get asylum in Canada, officials said.

The countries are Mexico, Israel (excluding Gaza and the West Bank), Japan, Norway, Iceland, New Zealand, Australia and Switzerland, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp.reported.

Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said refugee claimants from the eight countries will go through a fast-track process to prove they have a genuine need for asylum.

In that system, there is no right to appeal a negative decision with the Immigration and Refugee Board.

All applicants, however, have the right to a judicial review of their case by the Federal Court to make sure it was handled properly.