Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announces measures to strengthen family reunification

Today, May 26th 2023, Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, made an announcement about improvements to strengthen family class immigration in Canada.

The new measures include:

- Faster temporary resident visa (TRV) processing times for spousal applicants

- New and dedicated processing tools for spousal TRV applicants

- A new open work permit for spousal and family class applicants

- Open work permit extensions for open work permit holders expiring between August 1st and the end of 2023.

Fraser began the announcement by explaining that family members from visa required countries who have submitted family class permanent residency (PR) applications can apply for Temporary Resident Visas (TRV) to join their sponsor in Canada.

He said that far too many are refused on the basis that they are unlikely to return home, despite the fact that an overwhelming majority are approved for permanent residency when their application is finally processed.

Fraser continued by saying that IRCC has successfully eliminated the backlog of TRV applications for family members who already have a permanent residency application being processed. IRCC’s new approach towards spousal TRV applications has approved more than 98% of applications for spouses and their kids, so that they can be with their families while they await the processing of their PR applications.

 

Going forward, Fraser said this new approach to processing TRV applications will lead to processing times of within 30 days. Family members will be able to travel to Canada more quickly and be with their loved ones sooner.

IRCC is also launching a new initiative that will issue open work permits to spousal applicants and their dependent children who reside with their sponsor in Canada and have temporary resident status.

Spouses, partners and dependants are able to apply for and receive an open work permit as soon as they submit a complete permanent residence application under the spouse or common-law partner in Canada class (SPCLC) or other family class programs.

These open work permits were previously only allowed for the inland spousal program and is now being extended to those who are applying outside Canada.

Finally, beginning June 7th, open work permit holders whose current permit expires between August 1st and the end of 2023 can extend their permit for 18 months using a free facilitated process, which will impact about 25,000 people currently in Canada and are able to work. This will include spouses and dependents of most temporary workers, spouses of international students and permanent resident applicants and their spouses/dependents waiting for permanent residency to be finalized.

 

 

 

Family class sponsorship

Family class immigration is the second largest category under Canada’s Immigration Level’s Plan. In 2023, Canada hopes to welcome 106,500 newcomers under the family class category, with 78,000 under the spouses, partners and children category and 28,500 under the parents and grandparents category. By 2025, Canada aims to welcome 118,000 newcomers through family class immigration.

 

Family class sponsorship allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor a person to join you in Canada and become a permanent resident.

To be eligible as a sponsor, you must:

- Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada

- Be 18 years of age or older

- Not be in prison, bankrupt, under a removal order or charged with a serious offence

- Not have been sponsored as a spouse within the last 5 years.

Spouses, common law and conjugal partners, children, parents and grandparents may all be sponsored, provided they meet the required eligibility criteria.

 

Source: cicnews.com




Related articles

How long will it take to become a permanent resident of Canada in 2024?

Foreign nationals seeking permanent residence (PR) in Canada often look for the fastest pathway to achieving their goal and starting a new life in this country.
On a basic level, Canada has four primary immigration classes: economic immigration, family-class sponsorship, humanitarian/compassionate immigration and immigration for refugees/protected persons.
However, within those four general classifications, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) provides foreign nationals with more than 100 ways to immigrate to Canada.

Canada’s commitment to reuniting families and keeping them together

Canada recently renewed its commitment to keeping families together, a central goal of the country’s current immigration system.
Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has put into practice new procedures intended to accelerate family reunification, ensuring that dependants and spouses who may not otherwise be eligible to come to Canada, now have a pathway to reunite with their families.

Canada’s new immigration minister is Marc Miller

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced major changes to his cabinet this morning at 10:30 AM Eastern Time.
Canada’s new immigration minister is Marc Miller, a Member of Parliament from Quebec. Miller recently served as Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, a role meant to support the self-determination of Canada’s Indigenous peoples. Canada’s most recent Immigration Minister, Sean Fraser, will now become Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities.

IRCC processing spousal TRVs in 30 days with a 90% approval rate

Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) now has a processing time of 30 days for Temporary Resident Visas (TRVs) for spousal applicants.
The measure applies to spousal applicants who have already applied for permanent residency in Canada. Rather than require applicants to remain in their home countries while awaiting IRCC’s decision, they can now come to Canada while they wait for their application to be processed.

Canada family sponsorship: Open Work Permits now also available for outland applications

Family reunification is a core pillar in Canada’s immigration strategy and a new measure by Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) aims to make it possible for more families to be together. Spouses, partners, and dependents of permanent residents, Canadian citizens, temporary workers, and students already in Canada may now be eligible for an Open Work Permit.

Open-work permits available for spouses, partners and children of sponsors

During the processing of a family class sponsorship application, some sponsored spouses, partners, and their dependent children, will come to Canada as temporary residents to be with their sponsor. Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced at the end of May a temporary public policy allowing these individuals to work in Canada while their application is being processed.