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January 29th, 2019

NDP Statement on the Parent/Grandparent Sponsorship Application System Failure

NDP Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Critic Jenny Kwan made the following statement:

“As predicted, the Liberal government’s approach to family reunification for parent/grandparent sponsorship is a colossal failure. Just 11 minutes after the quota was opened, IRCC announced that the annual limit had been reached and the application process was closed. Frustrated family members are once again left out in the cold.

First it was the unjust luck of the lottery draw system; now families are being pitted against each other in break neck speed to get in front of the line just to be able to apply. The Liberal government has managed to dehumanize and devalue the important role parent/grandparent sponsorship can play for Canadian families and the Canadian economy. Treating families this way is more than an insult.

Complaints have already flooded MP offices; one constituent’s application was even blocked mid-stream as they were attempting to complete it. People in this situation will now need to wait an entire year just to try and submit an application once again. It is a devastating slap in the face for families who have already waited for years to be reunited.

The Liberal government should do what is needed – eliminate the arbitrary cap on the sponsorship applications for the parent/grandparent reunification immigration stream and increase its levels plan allocation.

  1. Eliminate the arbitrary application cap;
  2. Increase Annual Levels Plan allocations for this stream;
  3. Reduce the financial undertakings required of families to be eligible to ensure fairness;
  4. Allow for an appeal process once again;
  5. Implement processing standards to ensure that families are reunited in a reasonable period of time.​​”