Since Canada cancelled visa requirement for Czechs, Latvians and Estonians to enter the country in November, 267 individuals with Czech passports have requested asylum, compared to two Latvians and five Estonians.

Canada previously tried to lift Czech visa requirements in April 1996, but, due to the high number of asylum requests, renewed them in October 1997.

An increase in skinhead and neo-Nazi activity in the Czech Republic is behind the latest wave of immigration, said Paul St. Clair, head of the Toronto Roma community. He said the increased extremist activity corresponds to reduced control over such movements following the Czech Republic's entry into the European Union in 2004.

"Most towns are full of skinheads. People, especially Roma, are attacked. Everyone with dark skin is attacked. They are great racists," St. Clair said.

Those who apply to emigrate to Canada also want better lives, said Jeff Sahadeo, head of European and Russian Studies at Ottawa's Carleton University.

They face "grave obstacles in the Czech Republic in regard to education and job opportunities" he said.

But it’s difficult for asylum seekers to make a case to be allowed to stay in Canada, since the Czech Republic is an open, democratic country, Sahadeo said. In most countries, there is naturally a "high degree of hidden discrimination," he added.