Citizenship and Immigration committee  No.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I agree. I think that, if we value them as workers, we should make sure they are actually able to be permanent residents of Canada. Even if you look at other programs, such as the Canadian experience class—which does require one year of work, so it's very similar—you'll see that their applications for permanent residence are processed in six months.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  There has to be targeted effort at reducing the backlog. The 51 months is just totally unacceptable. That's why I was quite surprised to hear that, even though we're looking at reducing the backlog, the only main focus is on the nuclear family sponsorship, when for live-in caregivers the wait is 51 months, four and a half years.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  If you think of the length of the separation, you're looking at at least six years and likely more, so lots of things happen to families in that time. Children grow up, and they could have other medical issues arise, definitely.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  First, the regulations have to be amended to get rid of it completely, nothing short of that, and it has to be retroactive so that women don't have to constantly live in that fear. Also, as I've said, there have to be measures taken right now while we're waiting for the regulations because of the high risk of this provision that's been in place for four years.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I don't have the exact number, but I can tell you that I frequently have women in my office who are in this situation, where they have to make this decision about whether or not.... Even though there is an exception for violence, it's ineffective because they still have to apply for the exceptions.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Thank you for inviting me to testify. In my time I will address two issues that touch the core of the lives of many thousands of immigrant women: conditional permanent residence for sponsored spouses; and the unacceptable delays in processing the permanent resident applications of live-in caregivers.