Good afternoon, and thank you very much to this committee for inviting me here today.
Reuniting families is a key objective of Canada's immigration system. The family reunification program has very positive aspects about it, but there's always room for improvement. The information I will be providing today is based on my 10-year's work experience, working on the front lines, working one-on-one with clients, working with individuals and families, recent immigrants as well as Canadian citizens, looking to reunite with their families here in Canada.
For the majority of my cases, family reunification has done a fantastic job. It's done a good job according to the response from relatives here in Canada. There are significant benefits to sponsored families that I have noticed over the years. One of them is that the large majority of sponsored families have continued to contribute to the household income, either directly by working part-time or full-time, or indirectly by enabling their sponsors to work longer hours. Keep in mind that most sponsored relatives can acquire a social insurance number and are able to work legally in Canada,
Also, sponsored spouses and partners provide emotional support for their sponsors. In most cases, what I've noticed with people who have come through my doors is that they're usually by themselves, the sponsors. They're on their own just waiting for their relatives to arrive here in Canada.
Although I've seen the benefits of the program, I've also seen some of the challenges through my clients. One of them is the long processing times and delays with the applications here in Canada and abroad. In Canada, it takes about 26 months for partners to be sponsors—the partners themselves, I mean. Abroad, it takes 9 to 15 months for some regions. I have a lot of clients who come from African regions covered by Nairobi visa offices, and this processing time takes 15 to 31 months. That's a very long time for people waiting to reunite with their families.
I have clients who have expressed difficulty communicating with inland offices here in Canada and abroad. Clients need to know what the status of their application is. It's very difficult to acquire that information when it's difficult to get in touch with CIC offices. Sponsors are able to communicate only via mail or email, which can lengthen this process. Clients also face very long waiting periods when accessing the CIC call-in centres, and often have expressed that the telephone systems, the CIC website, and the application forms are very difficult to navigate. They feel they have been overloaded with information, as well as jargon. The language is very difficult for them to understand, especially if English is not their first language.
I have made some recommendations based on my experience with this population, with people using the family reunification program. One of them is that I see the continuing need for the family reunification program to exist and to be made a top priority. At our office, we continue to see significant numbers of applications from Canadian citizens and permanent residents looking to sponsor eligible family members under the family class, mainly spouses, partners, and dependent children. This demonstrates the continuing demand and ongoing relevance of the program.
The other recommendation I have is speedier family reunification. In other words, we need express family reunification. I believe children should be reunited with their parents in six months or less. Canada has a very slow process for family reunification. Many children wait over two years before being able to reunite with their parents. For family members and refugees, overseas processing can take up to 31 months. These children sometimes are exposed to very dangerous situations, similar to the situations their parents fled. Also, it takes an extremely emotional toll on the children to be apart from their parents, and it's necessary for them to be with them.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada has implemented the express entry program for economic immigrants. For immigrants with a valid job offer, CIC will process their applications in six months. My question is, shouldn't children be reunited with their parents at least as quickly as these economic immigrants are processed? I think Canada can do better.
My next recommendation is reinstating the previous age of dependants to 22 from 19. Also, repeal that excluded family member rule to avoid cutting off and leaving behind family members.
Last, improve communications with CIC networks to speed up the process. My idea, at least, is to increase staff and training to meet the demands.
In order for the family reunification program to sustain its greatness, and to make improvements, I believe the federal government must ensure the program is ongoing. Also, CIC must ensure that delivery of the program benefits the sponsored family in Canada. As well, the sponsor must ensure that they meet the responsibility and obligations undertaken in the sponsorship agreement for the well-being of the sponsored family members in Canada.
Thank you.