Sanctioned Russians will be banned from entering Canada, government says

Russians sanctioned by Canada will be barred from entering the country, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) say.

In a statement from CBSA, Mendicino announced he'll introduce changes to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) that will prevent those sanctioned individuals from coming into the country.

"These changes will allow the Canada Border Services Agency to deny entry to, and remove, individuals subject to sanctions, and will allow Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) officials to deny visas," the statement reads.

"Once in force, these amendments to IRPA will apply to all foreign nationals subject to sanctions by Canada, and any accompanying family members."

The government has sanctioned over 1,000 individuals and entities from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus in retaliation for the Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to Global Affairs Canada.

Among those sanctioned are senior Russian government officials such as Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, billionaire oligarch Roman Abramovich, Russian President Vladimir Putin's adult daughters Katerina Tikhonova and Maria Vorontsova, and Putin himself.

The sanctions prevent them from receiving financial and property services in Canada or from Canadians outside of Canada.

"In the face of the Putin regime's brutal attack, Canada stands with Ukraine. Banning close associates and key supporters of Putin's regime, including those responsible for this unprovoked aggression, from entering our country is one of the many ways in which we're holding Russia accountable for its crimes," Mendicino said in the statement. 

"We will continue to exhaust all options to uphold freedom and democracy, punish Russia and support Ukraine." 

Russia has sanctioned Canadians in retaliation for Canada's sanctions — including premiers, military officials and journalists.