Haitian Quebecers with Canadian citizenship allowed to sponsor relatives

February 05 2010 by Liam Clifford

Canada immigration rules are to be changed to allow citizens of Haitian origin to sponsor more relatives to move to Canada.

Immigration rules in the French-speaking Canadian province of Quebec have been changed so residents of Haitian origin with Canadian citizenship or permanent resident status are permitted to sponsor more relatives.

Whereas the Canadian immigration act ordinarily allows only dependents, spouses, parents, grandparents and orphans with family ties into the country, Quebec's relaxed rules have widened the definition of family to include "brothers, sisters and adult children older than 22 years".

It's believed the rule change will enable 3,000 Haitians to move to the Canadian province and get on with their lives after last month's earthquake ravaged their homeland.

Yolande James, Quebec's immigration minister, told a press conference this week that the new rules for moving to Canada will apply from 17 February to 31 December this year. Last year, just 700 Haitians moved to Quebec under family sponsorship programs.

James pointed out that Quebec, thought to be home to over 90 per cent of the 100,000 Canadians who are of Haitian origin, has "discretionary powers" that it's opted to employ on this occasion for "humanitarian reasons". Last month, Ottawa refused to enlarge its family definition rules.

All applications by Haitians seeking to move to Canada will still have to be approved by Canadian immigration officials, who will be responsible for running background checks and issuing visas to the new arrivals.

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