Maple News reports that Canada’s Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration has launched a comprehensive review of how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected immigrants and the Canadian immigration system. The study, which will be held across eight sessions, is currently hearing testimonies from separated families, stranded permanent residents, and other affected individuals. The findings of the study will be presented to the House of Commons, after which the government has up to 120 days to issue a formal response, though they are not required to implement any policy changes.
The committee is examining a range of challenges that disrupted the immigration process during the pandemic. Key issues include prolonged application backlogs, delays in family reunification, and rejections of Temporary Resident Visas (TRVs)—particularly under section 179(b) of Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. Many visa application centres around the world remained closed for much of the pandemic, further compounding these challenges.
A focal point of the study is the government’s decision to reinstate a lottery system for sponsoring parents and grandparents. The committee is reviewing how this process compares to previous systems in terms of fairness, transparency, and processing times.
The study also delves into notable processing delays impacting international students, especially those in Francophone African countries who struggled to obtain TRVs. It also addresses problems faced by individuals with expired confirmation of permanent residency documents, along with issues surrounding outdated security, medical, and background checks that slowed permanent immigration applications.
Mental health impacts, particularly due to family separation, are emerging as a deeply concerning dimension of the pandemic’s legacy on immigration. According to early findings shared during the hearings, non-profits like Faces of Advocacy and Spousal Sponsorship Advocates conducted surveys exposing alarming trends.
Faces of Advocacy noted that despite nearly half of their respondents never being diagnosed with mental illness previously, over two-thirds exhibited symptoms aligned with clinical depression during family separation. Alarmingly, self-harm or suicidal thoughts increased from 16% to 30% among separated individuals.
Spousal Sponsorship Advocates painted a similar picture with their own study involving 548 respondents who had been separated from loved ones for extended periods. Their data supports the growing call for policy reforms that prioritize family unity in Canada’s immigration system.
Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino has been invited to address the committee in upcoming sessions scheduled for late November and early December. As the hearings continue, immigrant families hope for solutions that will not only address backlogs and policy inefficiencies, but also repair the social and emotional toll of pandemic-era restrictions.
Maple News will continue to monitor and report on developments from this parliamentary study as they unfold.