Family reunification is difficult for Quebec Residents
- Nataly Paredes, CRIC
- Dec 22, 2023
- 1 min read
The current processing time for a sponsorship application from outside Canada to live in Quebec is 42 months, compared with 12 months for the same application from another province.
The difference is mainly due to the quota imposed by the Legault government in the family reunification category.
While the Government of Canada has expressed its intention to ensure that all sponsorship applications are processed within 12 months, unfortunately, for Quebec, this is not the case.
A formal notice has been sent to Quebec Immigration Minister Christine Fréchette,
with Ottawa also implicated. The Minister has 60 days to find a solution to the ever-increasing delays in family reunification, failing which the case could end up in Superior Court.
It might be appropriate for the government to consider opening up the possibility for applicants to apply for an open work permit from outside Canada, as is the case for sponsorship applicants who come to Canada without first applying for a visitor's visa,
Last May, Ottawa announced new measures to temporarily reunite families awaiting sponsorship, including accelerated processing times for visitor visa applications for spouses.
In reality, however, many applications are refused. This is because the Canada Immigration officer is not convinced that the person concerned will return to his or her country when the visa expires. This process becomes particularly complex to demonstrate when the dual intention of settling in Canada is obvious.
Such a change could help resolve the current situation while supporting the federal government's stated objective:
"FAMILY REUNIFICATION IS ONE OF THE PILLARS OF CANADA'S IMMIGRATION SYSTEM".
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