Evidence of meeting #26 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was applicants.
A recording is available from Parliament.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
3:55 p.m.
NDP
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
March 8th, 2012 / 3:55 p.m.
Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
I'd like to start off by saying that last Saturday I was at a local restaurant in Winnipeg north, and I had this gentleman come to me—as often happens—and tell me that he had some siblings in Winnipeg, and that he had a sister who's married, and they were trying to get her to be able to come over for a visit. Now, he had applied twice. Both times they were denied, and he asked me, “What do I do now? I have my sister in the Philippines who wants to be able to come to see her mom. Her mom is not in a condition to travel back to the Philippines.”
I often wonder if we are making some serious mistakes, and if we need to look at ways in which we should be allowing those families to be reunited. I look to you as a director general for immigration. Is the government or the department looking at other ways in which we could allow families to be reunited in situations such as this?
I have written letters. The last piece of advice I gave was to try keeping the husband there, and maybe she can come by herself this time. He has to appeal. You can appeal a decision.
4 p.m.
Director General, International Region, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Perhaps I can answer. There is a provision in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act now to address situations like that, and that is the temporary resident permit, which can be used to overcome a situation where an applicant is inadmissible to Canada, even if it's on the issue of bona fides—if there's a belief that their motivation to remain in Canada might be stronger than their motivation to return.
Officers who feel that there are compelling humanitarian or compassionate situations in an application that would warrant the use of this provision—
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Director General, International Region, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
I don't have those statistics, but certainly every officer has the capacity to refer a case to their program manager for—
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Conservative
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Director General, International Region, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
The officer who's handling the application, and perhaps Sid can talk about what happens in Delhi as an illustration.
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Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
Right, but who initiates the request? Because, if I get a letter and it says no, I can't say, well, now I would like to appeal it to this. Right?
4 p.m.
Director General, International Region, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
The officers can do that themselves without having to have anyone bring it to their attention. They can find merit in the case themselves.
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Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
But can it be initiated by a member of Parliament if someone comes to the member of Parliament and says, “Look, I've tried twice. Now what do I do?”
Can I tell that person to go and make an application for, what did you call it, a temporary...?
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Director General, International Region, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Temporary resident permit. At missions we very often receive letters from members of Parliament who lay out more detail or provide more circumstances behind the case.
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Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
But if someone is actually rejected, and it's a family member, it's okay for them to submit, as opposed to the normal visiting visa application, that application for a temporary resident permit?
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Director General, International Region, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
They could apply again for a temporary resident visa, but ask that a permit be considered.
Do you agree, Sid?
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Immigration Program Manager, New Delhi, India, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
In Delhi, I have—
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Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
I'm actually okay with that.
I have limited time. I wanted to ask about biometrics in regards to Chandigarh. There are two big issues that I have with Chandigarh. One is the whole concept of quota. Now I believe you said in your opening remarks that it's just over 50% in terms of rejection. So there is some mild improvement, and hopefully that will continue to happen, but there's this feeling that, if you're an immigration officer there, you have to reject so many in order to move forward. That's the mindset that many people actually do have. That's there.
How many immigration officers do you have who are actually processing applications, and what kind of numbers of applicants do you get in on a daily basis in Chandigarh?
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Immigration Program Manager, New Delhi, India, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Can I speak to the first part of your question, in terms of—
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Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
I'm just realizing I've got very little time, but go ahead. You have a minute.
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Immigration Program Manager, New Delhi, India, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Okay. In terms of the applications process, in 2010 we received 25,521 temporary resident visas. Those are visitors—
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Immigration Program Manager, New Delhi, India, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
In Chandigarh. That was 1,076 workers and 12,833 students.
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Director General, International Region, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
In Chandigarh? We'll have to come back to you with that information. Sorry.
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Immigration Program Manager, New Delhi, India, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
I believe it's five Canada-based officers and one locally engaged officer.
