Haitians may have a long wait for Canadian visas

March 19 2010 by Liam Clifford

Canadian citizens with relatives in Haiti have received the devastating news that they may have to wait months, or even years, to secure Canadian visas for their loved ones.

Only 168 of approximately 5,000 applications for permanent resident status have been processed by the Canadian immigration department since the earthquake.

It seems bureaucratic complications are to blame for many of the delayed Canadian visa applications. For example, many applications are being held up because the applicant qualifies for permanent resident status under Quebec’s definition of extended family but not under the federal government’s. Officials have admitted that such cases are third in their list of priorities as they make their way through thousands of applications.

Denis Coderre, Liberal MP for the riding of Bourassa, which is populated by many Haitian Canadians, has called on Immigration Minister Jason Kenney to take steps to accelerate the processing of applications: “The reality is that the time frame will be enormous and you will have a lot of disappointed people because it will take months if not years to bring their siblings together,” he said. Mr. Coderre has urged Mr. Kenney to act before Haiti’s rainy season sets in, pointing out that lives are at risk because of the lack of housing in Haiti.

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