Numbers from November 2020 have revealed an extraordinarily high refusal rate of temporary resident visas (TRV) to applicants with ongoing overseas spousal or partner sponsorship applications.
Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) applications require applicants to demonstrate that they have no strong ties to Canada and intend to return to their home country by the end of their authorized stay. Because of this, TRV applications for candidates with a spouse in Canada are often denied, leaving many couples apart during the lengthy processing time.
One Canadian, Lori Wicks, waited over 30 months for her husband’s sponsorship application to be processed, forcing them to celebrate their 4th anniversary virtually.
“It’s unreasonable to be asking us to live like this,” Wicks said to CBC news.
The burden of such a delayed processing time may be alleviated if applicants could easily visit their spouse in Canada. Due to the high refusal rate, this is made impossible for many. A report from November 2020 demonstrates how prevalent this issue is for candidates with pending sponsorship applications.
Country of Citizenship | Approved | Refused | Refusal Rate |
---|---|---|---|
Grand Total | 568 | 1,300 | 69.6% |
India | 95 | 272 | 74.1% |
Pakistan | 76 | 200 | 72.5% |
Cuba | 59 | 159 | 72.9% |
Philippines | 29 | 49 | 62.8% |
People's Republic of China | 41 | 30 | 42.3% |
Lebanon | 21 | 45 | 68.2% |
Iran | 23 | 26 | 53.1% |
Egypt | 19 | 23 | 54.8% |
Ukraine | 22 | 19 | 46.3% |
Federal Republic of Cameroon | 7 | 33 | 82.5% |
Other Countries | 176 | 444 | 71.6% |
The above table is broken down by top 10 countries of citizenship as of November 7, 2020 in persons.
The current Liberal government has been criticized for not doing enough to reunite spouses and partners during lengthy processing times. While an open work permit is available for individuals whose spouse or partner is studying or working in Canada, the same is not available for overseas candidates applying for sponsorship. This issue has particularly come into focus during the COVID-19 pandemic when most processing times were at a standstill.
Last September, NDP immigration critic, Jenny Kwan, called upon Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino to prioritize family reunification and create a special temporary resident visa as part of the family reunification process.
My open letter to Minister Mendicino, in follow up to his response to my calls to prioritize family reunification and create a special temporary resident visa as part of the family sponsorship process to ensure more timely reunification. #prioritizefamilysponsorship pic.twitter.com/gHI6ZNc7eB
— Jenny Kwan (@JennyKwanBC) September 3, 2020
Such a visa could ensure couples are reunited in a timely manner without the distress caused by TRV refusals and delays in processing.
Co-founder and spokesperson for Spousal Sponsorship Advocates, Misha Pelletier, supports these proposed changes, saying they will enable loved ones to be together in Canada while awaiting the finalization of their sponsorship application.
The proposed visa would not apply to those with a history of non-compliance with the requirement to leave Canada or any other country.
Express Entry Draw | Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
Express Entry Draw #346 just took place! In this draw, 511 candidates were invited under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) stream, with a minimum Comprehensive […]
Visiting Canada
Have you ever heard of receiving a Canadian work permit right in your mailbox with no catches? Following a recent policy shift by Immigration, Refugees […]
Immigration Updates
The Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC) has officially launched the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) program and published its list of designated employers. Building […]
Immigration Updates
North Bay is one of 14 Canadian communities selected to participate in this new temporary pathway to permanent residency. As part of the RCIP, North […]
Education Category | Express Entry Draw
The first Express Entry draw was held for the Healthcare occupations category since the category added new social services occupations! This new express entry draw invited […]
Education Category | Express Entry Draw
The first ever Express Entry draw for the new Education Occupations category was just held! The new Education Occupations category focuses on attracting candidates in […]
Discover your Canadian immigration options. Get your free assessment now!