A protest took place in front of Quebec Premier François Legault's office in Montreal, with demonstrators demanding that Quebec speed up its processing times for family reunification. Over 38,000 Quebecers are currently waiting for a loved one to enter the country through the family reunification program. The program in Quebec is capped at around 10,000 applicants per year, causing significant delays and anxiety for those stuck in the backlog. Spousal sponsorship applicants in Quebec face a processing time of about 34 months, compared to 12 months for other Canadians. For parents or grandparents of foreign origin, the wait is about 50 months, while other Canadians only need to wait an average of 24 months. The protesters are pleading with the province to let their loved ones in through family reunification [dcb37d0b].
In other news, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has implemented new limitations on a process known as 'flagpoling' at 12 land border crossings in Canada. 'Flagpoling' is a workaround where non-Canadians with temporary status leave and re-enter Canada within 24 hours to obtain same-day immigration papers. The CBSA advises against flagpoling due to long wait times and limited service hours. The limitations aim to increase efficiency during peak travel times and allow officers to focus on other priorities. The affected crossings include Saint Armand/Philipsburg, Saint Bernard-de-Lacolle, Stanstead Route 55, Fort Erie (Peace Bridge), Niagara Falls Rainbow Bridge, Queenston-Lewiston Bridge, Abbotsford-Huntingdon, and Aldergrove. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has criticized flagpoling, calling it an immigration 'loophole' that negatively impacts the economy. Kim Ly, vice-chair of the Canadian Association of Professional Immigration Consultants, warns of the risks of flagpoling, including the possibility of being denied documents or deported. Applying online for immigration papers from within Canada has an average wait time of three months. The CBSA did not provide information on the number of people using flagpoling. The CBSA's limitations on flagpoling hours may not address the demand for same-day immigration services. The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) encourages people to apply for immigration papers from within Canada and offers priority applications for work permits in certain circumstances. If a person's current permit expires while waiting for a new one, they can continue to work or study with 'maintained status' [0f62ae50].
