Dramatic Rise in Rejection of Permanent Residence Applications
In a July 14 press release the Migrant Rights Network reports that based on data provided by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, rejections of applications on the basis of Humanitarian and Compassionate grounds doubled from 35 per cent in 2019 to nearly 70 per cent in the first quarter of 2021. It also notes that “Humanitarian and Compassionate applications are the only opportunity for permanent residence — and therefore equal rights and safety — for undocumented migrants inside Canada.” Further, rejections increased “without any announced change in policy, at the same time as immigration levels in Canada saw a record downturn in 2020.”
We also learn that in 2019 Canada accepted 5,075 Humanitarian and Compassionate applications and that in 2020, despite an increase in applications, “only 3,735 applications were accepted.” Also in 2020, immigration levels fell by almost half due to COVID-19 related border closures.
“Right now, Canada needs immigrants and with COVID-19, the simplest first thing to do is regularize and give permanent residency to all migrants already in the country, including undocumented people,” Syed Hussan from the Migrant Rights Network Secretariat said, adding “Permanent residence status is the only mechanism to ensure migrants have equal rights.”
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Canada has created two new permanent residency programs for migrants already in the country. “But both the Health Care Workers permanent residence pathway and the Temporary Resident to Permanent Residency Pathway largely exclude undocumented residents,” the Migrant Rights Network points out.
A series of actions demanding Status For All! took place in Montreal from July 18 to 23.
On Sunday, July 25, migrants and their allies from Montreal, Toronto and other cities will converge on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office in Ottawa to call for full and permanent immigration status for all residents in the country, as well as for all those arriving in the future.
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Status for All!
One Humanity, One Struggle!
One Humanity, One Struggle!
(Source: Migrant Rights Network)