I have successfully managed (once and hopefully again) a Canadian visa application, for a Vietnamese family member (tourism). It was slightly longer than my th

I have successfully managed (once and hopefully again) a Canadian visa application, for a Vietnamese family member (tourism). It was slightly longer than my thesis, although much shorter to complete -- unless you include failed previous attempts. To date, it remains my magnum opus of bureaucratic compliance. It's a frustrating and moderately expensive experience, that I would otherwise never have learned about as a Canadian citizen. Meanwhile, a visa to enter Vietnam for 3 months from a Western nation is a fee and a rubber stamp. A fascinating problem arising from that is the number of undocumented migrant workers we get from the West! It's been a thing for a decade, but in the past was mainly people offering English lessons who did not meet the requirements for a work permit. It's expanded significantly in scope post-Covid, although I don't have any hard numbers to share. I feel it's quite fair to expect some visa costs/paperwork when no fair and bilateral visa arrangement exists. On the other hand, the level of noncompliance with the terms of the issued visas worries me. I'm a documented immigrant to Vietnam, I run a small and boring company. If the rules change in a crackdown, will I get caught up in a regulatory net meant to catch someone else? Losing my company this way would be really disheartening. I'm unable to think of an easy fix to the asymmetrical unfairness of visas -- but I thought you might enjoy a slice of what it looks like from the other side. I guess immigrants anywhere are presented with many of the same challenges.