The media director of a Vanuatu newspaper says his ban from the country is linked to his coverage of growing Chinese influence in the Pacific Island nation.

Canadian citizen Dan McGarry was stopped from boarding a flight out of Brisbane airport on Saturday morning.

Dan McGarry has been barred from returning to Vanuatu. Credit:Twitter

The media director of the Vanuatu Daily Post group, who has lived in Vanuatu for 16 years, applied to have his work permit renewed but was rejected earlier this month.

Mr McGarry and his partner, who is a Vanuatu citizen, travelled to Brisbane to attend a forum on media freedom in Melanesia, where his case was a major topic on the agenda.