44th Parliament220CertifiedMarch 19, 2024e-4758e-4758 (Citizenship and immigration)MariaKartashevaAnitaVandenbeldOttawa West—NepeanLiberalONJanuary 17, 2024, at 4:29 p.m. (EDT)March 17, 2024, at 4:29 p.m. (EDT)March 19, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The current process for evaluating immigration and citizenship applications unfairly places the burden on those facing political persecution to prove that foreign laws they're accused of violating aren't crimes in Canada, and this places undue stress to those who have suffered under autocratic regimes;We propose an official list that automatically disqualifies political laws as valid reasons for denying refuge, humanitarian or other visas, or Canadian citizenship;Autocratic regimes craft laws, for the purpose of political persecution, that look just to those unfamiliar with their political context, for example, in the Russian Federation, Articles 207.3, 280.3, and 284.2 were added to the Criminal Code after the Ukraine invasion to suppress truth about the war and persecute dissenters;Implementing this list would streamline Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reviews, expediting applications for those persecuted under these laws, and preventing delays for those wrongly perceived as criminals; andPolitical context for understanding these laws as political prosecution, not crimes, can be provided by the Canadian Ministry of Global Affairs, they already use this information to sanction regimes for human rights violations.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to establish a pre-approved list of laws used for political persecution that don’t have an equivalent in Canada, for the purpose of fast-tracking the evaluation of immigration and citizenship applications during the Prohibitions sections of said applications.Application processCriminal chargesImmigration and immigrantsLegislation44th Parliament207Open for signatureMarch 15, 2024e-4871e-4871 (Citizenship and immigration)TaniaRampillonClaudeDeBellefeuilleSalaberry—SuroîtBloc QuébécoisQCMarch 15, 2024, at 3:21 p.m. (EDT)June 13, 2024, at 3:21 p.m. (EDT) Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Petition number 421-01353 on sponsorship applications for family reunification was presented to the House of Commons on May 16, 2017, and government response 8545-421-23-13 stated that it is seeking a “fair and transparent” process;We believe that case selection is NOT fair and transparent;Thousands of families are still waiting for reunification after many years; andThe annual quota for accepted sponsorship applications creates intense competition between applicants and excludes many families who want to be reunited in Canada. We, the undersigned, citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Give those who lost the lottery during one year, priority in subsequent years;2. Keep applicants updated on their case after a lottery; and3. Review the process so that family reunification stays “a core immigration priority for the Government of Canada,” as stated in its response of May 16, 2017.Application processFamily reunificationImmigrant sponsorshipImmigration policy44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 14, 2023e-4385e-4385 (Citizenship and immigration)LolitaPopovaJennyKwanVancouver EastNDPBCApril 20, 2023, at 10:38 a.m. (EDT)June 19, 2023, at 10:38 a.m. (EDT)October 31, 2023December 14, 2023June 19, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="278908" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship</Addressee>Whereas:Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the rule of law and respect for human rights and democracy;The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, says, "Family reunification is an essential part of Canada's immigration system." Some Parliament members also acknowledged that "reuniting parents and grandparents with their families in Canada provides immense contributions to our communities.";Nonetheless, the Family Sponsorship program is a lottery system that has many flaws and is essentially closed since 2020;For 2021 and 2022, the applications that won were chosen from the 2020 pool of interest to sponsor, leaving permanent residents and citizens with no chance to apply for the program in 2021 or 2022;The lottery system is unfair to permanent residents and citizens who were contributing to the Canadian economy throughout their stay and would love to reunite with their loved ones; andA super visa, another option to relocate parents and grandparents to Canada, allows them multiple entries to Canada for ten years, however, they cannot get an open work permit and in general, have no rights.We, the undersigned, Canadians and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to 1. Open up a submission for interest to sponsor forms in 2023; 2. Lift the arbitrary caps on both invitations to apply and accepted applications;3. Increase the Annual Levels Plan allocation for this stream;4. Implement processing standards to ensure that families are reunited in a reasonable period of time; and5. Develop a better system for the Family Sponsorship program, where eligible applicants could apply to sponsor their family.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Paul Chiang, M.P.Family reunification is a key pillar of Canada’s immigration system that will continue to be firmly supported by the Government of Canada. This commitment is reflected in the Government’s decision to announce significant annual increases to permanent resident admissions through the Parents and Grandparents Program in the multi-year Levels Plan in the past years. In response to continued strong demand for parents and grandparents sponsorship and our desire to support families, the Government has increased the targeted number of parents and grandparents admissions from 25,000 in 2022 to 28,500 in 2023, 32,000 in 2024 and 34,000 in 2025 and 2026.Family class admissions must, however, be balanced with other immigration categories in order to meet Canada’s broader immigration objectives, including under the economic and refugee streams. Because of this, a random selection model has been implemented. The current intake system was introduced in large part to improve fairness and accessibility when compared to previous models. The 2019 online first-in system, for example, posed technical challenges for some prospective sponsors and may have disadvantaged those with certain cognitive or physical disabilities. The random selection model overcomes these obstacles by ensuring that regardless of when an Interest to Sponsor form is submitted during the three week submission period, all interested sponsors have an equal opportunity of being invited to apply, including via alternative submission methods to promote accessibility.The Government understands that there is growing demand for a new interest to sponsor period to be announced for prospective sponsors who were unable to express their interest in 2020 and for those who would like submit an Interest to Sponsor form for the first time. The viability and timing of the next intake are currently being assessed and an announcement will be communicated in a timely manner once a decision has been made.Regarding application-related caps, it is important to note that these limits are not arbitrary. Demand for sponsorship continues to exceed the admissions targets in the annual Immigration Levels Plan, the tool by which the Government of Canada sets the number of permanent residents to be admitted within each immigration category annually. This in turn determines how many applications can be processed. If application limits were not set, this would likely contribute to a significant negative impact on processing times, a growing backlog of cases and more uncertainty for selected sponsors and their family members. The current model ensures that Canada can continue to benefit from the managed migration system that has served it well for decades while upholding fairness.Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has and will continue to work to improve processing times in all our programs. In a recent 2023 Report of the Office of the Auditor General of Canada on processing applications for permanent residence, the Department established that it would prioritize creating service standards for services that currently have none, including permanent residence streams, such as the family class, as part of a comprehensive multi-year service standard review. Completion of the first phase is expected by the end of the 2024–25 fiscal year.Finally, the Government also continues to actively assess ways in which to improve all lines of business, including the family class stream. As was raised in the Strategic Immigration Review reportpublished on October 31, 2023, IRCC is committed to exploring how we can enhance the immigration experience for families. Part of this process includes reviewing ways to ensure that equity considerations are built into policy and program changes and to better support accompanying family members.
Application processFamily reunificationImmigrant sponsorship
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01524441-01524 (Citizenship and immigration)TomKmiecCalgary ShepardConservativeABJune 9, 2023August 16, 2023June 6, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:On February 6, 2023, Canada announced an extension and expansion of the Hong Kong Pathway Open Work Permit program for eligible Hong Kong residents by extending the Open Work Permit scheme for an additional two years such that eligible open work permit holders can apply for Permanent residency via Hong Kong pathway Stream B; andSome Hongkongers involved in the pro-democracy movement are unable to access the Open Work Permit scheme as they are required to obtain a police certificate from the Hong Kong Police, and eligible Open Work Permit Holders in Canada are required to provide Hong Kong Police Certificate to apply for Permanent residency via Hong Kong pathway Stream B.Therefore, we, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to remove the requirement for a police certificate from the Hong Kong Police for Open Work Permit applicants and introduce an alternative security check as necessary.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Marie-France Lalonde, M.P.Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recognizes that certain foreign nationals in challenging political situations may encounter difficulties in adhering to Canadian regulations and program requirements. Canada maintains enduring connections with the people of Hong Kong and expresses deep concern regarding the deteriorating human rights situation in the region. In light of these concerns, the Government of Canada has implemented a range of facilitative measures aimed at assisting Hong Kong residents in coming to Canada. This is evidenced by the special measures that we have implemented to date, including an open work permit of up to three years to work for any employer in Canada, and the creation of two pathways to permanent residence for Hong Kong residents already in Canada.Immigration Officers review all applications on a case-by-case basis, carefully considering the unique circumstances presented by each applicant. Decisions regarding inadmissibility are grounded in evidence, which may consist of police or intelligence reports, statutory declarations, as well as other relevant documents such as media articles and publicly-available information.Hong Kong residents and/or foreign nationals may be contacted by IRCC through a letter requesting a police certificate should further assessment for admissibility be deemed necessary. However, if the applicant declares their inability to procure a police certificate due to concerns over compromising their personal safety, IRCC will employ existing internal measures to mitigate the non-submission of documents without compromising the integrity of the program. Each applicant possesses the right and opportunity to address and provide clarification regarding their circumstances through the “self-declaration process”. This process serves to mitigate any critical situations wherein the outcome will affect the applicant’s safety and security.The Government of Canada is confident that the established policy honours the spirit of the petition.The Government of Canada strongly prioritizes upholding human rights and the rule of law, both domestically and internationally. Canada continues to closely monitor the situation in Hong Kong and is prepared to undertake additional measures if and when the need arises.
Application processHong KongWork permits
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 20, 2023e-4180e-4180 (Citizenship and immigration)HarpreetSinghJohnAldagCloverdale—Langley CityLiberalBCNovember 1, 2022, at 10:42 a.m. (EDT)December 31, 2022, at 10:42 a.m. (EDT)January 30, 2023March 20, 2023January 5, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="278908" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship</Addressee>Whereas:Under the Constitution Act, 1982 every individual has the right to “equal benefit of the law without discrimination";Immigration, Citizenship and Refugees Canada (IRCC) will not open the interest to sponsor form (ITSF) for parents and grandparents for those residents who were unable to do so in 2020;The decision to not open the ITSF for 2022 has devastated many families across Canada;The Government of Canada failed to recognize the devastating impact of their actions on many families across Canada;It is unfair that those who submitted the ITSF in 2020 are given three chances at the "lottery" while those who could not submit in 2020 are given zero chances;The program requires submission of three notices of assessment that meet a minimum requirement; For the 2020 ITSF this was 2018, 2019, 2020; Many Canadians who were not eligible in 2020 still submitted their interest, and now their dishonesty is being rewarded as selected sponsors are being judged on 2019, 2020 and 2021 income; andThe financial impact of COVID-19 and the current state of the economy means that the Super Visa is an expensive undertaking for many Canadians who are barred from expressing their interest.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to treat all Canadians equally and allow new submissions to the “Interest to Sponsor Form”; and provide equal opportunity by opening the interest to sponsor form for the current and next parents and grandparents lottery.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Marie-France Lalonde, M.P.The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of family reunification and the socio-economic benefits of reuniting families together in Canada. The Parents and Grandparents Program allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their parents and grandparents to come to Canada as permanent residents. Given the high demand for sponsorship, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducts periodic intakes of applications by randomly selecting interested sponsors and inviting them to submit an application.IRCC has implemented different approaches to receiving applications in the past several years. Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, IRCC would typically open an Interest to Sponsor period early in the calendar year and send invitations to apply to randomly selected interest sponsors over one or two rounds within the same calendar year. Different intake parameters are informed by operational capacity and policy considerations, and may vary from year to year based on Ministerial Instructions, which authorize the intake process. It should be noted that for any given intake, it is important for the Department to receive all applications in the same calendar year to ensure that all sponsors are assessed according to the same income requirements. All potential sponsors who are randomly selected and invited to apply must meet the income requirement (three previous tax years) at the time of application. In 2020, due the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, IRCC did not open an Interest to Sponsor period until October.   Alternative formats (paper copy, Braille or large print) were made available to persons with disabilities who were unable to use the online form. Approximately 203,000 unique Interest to Sponsor submissions were received following the removal of duplicate submissions.In order to complete the 2020 intake, IRCC randomly selected from these interest to sponsor submissions and issued 13,400 invitations to apply in January 2021. Using the 2020 pool, the Department also sent 34,500 invitations to apply to interested sponsors to submit an application in October 2021, in support of delivering a 2021 intake. Most recently, for the 2022 intake, to ensure that all applications were received within the calendar year and the fact that a large number of Interest to Sponsor forms remained following the intake of applications in 2021, IRCC again randomly selected from the 2020 pool of submissions and issued an additional 23,100 invitations to potential sponsors to submit an application this past October. All potential sponsors invited to apply as part of the 2022 intake were required to submit their application by December 24, 2022 and had to meet the income requirement for three previous tax years (2019, 2020, and 2021). As such, no potential sponsor randomly selected from the 2020 pool, who does not meet the necessary income requirements, is eligible for parent and grandparent sponsorship.The next intake of parent and grandparent applications has not yet been announced and further details, once available, will be published on the Department’s website and social media pages. For those interested in bringing their parents and grandparents to Canada, but have not submitted an Interest to Sponsor form or have not been invited to apply, their parents or grandparents may consider applying for a Super Visa. The Super Visa is a multi-entry temporary resident visa that allows parents and grandparents to reunite with their host families in Canada for extended periods. The application fee for the Super Visa is $100 and there is no limit on the number of individuals who may apply. The Government has made significant enhancements to the Super Visa to further promote family reunification, including increasing the length of stay per entry from up to two years to up to five years over the course of the validity of the visa. 
Application processFamily reunificationImmigrant sponsorshipParent and Grandparent Program