Madam Speaker, I am honoured to present a petition today on behalf of Canadian citizens regarding the Hong Kong pathways that have been established by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
There are two streams, stream A and stream B, and as of January 2024, there are over 15,000 permanent residency applications, leaving over 8,000 in a backlog. The processing time has exceeded the stipulated 6.5 months, creating all kinds of hassles and problems for the petitioners.
The petitioners ask that IRCC uphold the priority processing guidelines as outlined; create a mechanism to issue minor study permits to children, ensuring that their well-being is safeguarded; and allocate additional admission targets to the Hong Kong pathways to effectively address the backlog.