Additionally, I am concerned that the Minister seems to be satisfied with the processing of family reunification applications. The backlog for outbound family reunification applications are significantly delayed, including the reunification of children of asylum seekers. For these refugee families, the current wait times in processing now reach upwards of two to three years for dependents of refugee, far from any processing service standards.
NDP Immigration Critic Jenny Kwan’s response to minister announcement
I was encouraged, today, to see by Minister Fraser’s announcement that he is finally taking seriously the dire situation of IRCC processing delays. Countless people have been sounding the alarm bell as their lives are put on hold. They have shared heartbreak personal stories about the additional stresses and pressures they face and the toll it is taking on their mental health as they try to cope with these significant delays.
There is no question that new staffing resources are needed to address the chaos that has proliferated in every immigration stream and I hope that what the Minister has announced is sufficient to address the extensive backlogs.
The Minister did not address the issue of backlogs related to levels numbers in this announcement today. In addition to new staffing resources, the Minister must also address the impact of the backlogs as they relate to immigration levels. As the November 24 Memo exposed, the announcement of the Temporary Residence to Permanent Residence Stream and measures needed to address the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan has drastically affected the Express Entry Stream with long term implications. It clearly shows that by shifting the immigrations levels from one stream to accommodate new measures is not only deficient, but short-sighted. Immigration should not be treated as a zero-sum game. This practice of robbing Peter to pay Paul only passes the buck and creates bigger problems down the road.
It should be clear to the Minister that when new measures—such as the TR2PR stream of Afghan refugee measures—are announced, additional immigration levels must be added to accommodate those new measures.
Additionally, I am concerned that the Minister seems to be satisfied with the processing of family reunification applications. The backlog for outbound family reunification applications are significantly delayed, including the reunification of children of asylum seekers. For these refugee families, the current wait times in processing now reach upwards of two to three years for dependents of refugee, far from any processing service standards. I urge the Minister to heed the calls of the Canadian Council for Refugees to resume normal processing of asylum requests, as well as to put in place measures to respect the UN Convention on the Rights of Child which calls for timely reunification of children with their families within a maximum of six months.
For families seeking to reunite with their loved ones with outbound spousal sponsorships, too many families are continuing to suffer as they are separated from their loved ones. Countless families have shared their devastating story of separation and it's not uncommon for them to be separated for 2 or more years, far from the 12 month processing service standards the Minister cites.
I would also like to point out that there are other immigration streams such as the pilot program for caregiver where no service standards have been set and the only information on the government's website is "...no average processing time available." These families have already endured prolonged and painful separations from their loved ones. The Minister must also address the backlog and processing delays in their streams and not forget or neglect their need to have their applications processed in a timely fashion.
On the issue of digital updates, the call for the government bring our immigration system into the 21st century has been longstanding. I called for the capability to obtain digital updates on immigration applications when I was first elected to office in 2015, and I am glad that it is finally been acted on. I only hope that when the system is operational, the information provided to applicants is meaningful and transparent. I also hope that when applications are refused, the reasons for the rejection are given beyond the routine response - that IRCC does not believe you will return home at the end of your visit.
Finally, until the backlogs are addressed, the Minister must ensure that MP offices are able to do their work. The limiting of inquiries to IRCC to no more than five cases must end. MP offices across the political spectrum are dealing with an unprecedented number of case files due to the very backlogs at the heart of the Minister’s announcement and limiting their ability to serve their constituents in unacceptable. I hope the Minister will promptly lift such restrictions.
MP Jenny Kwan Statement on Changes to Express Entry
The recent changes reflect the government’s elitist view that the people who make the most money are the most valuable immigrants. This offensive notion that a person’s worth is determined by their salary does not reflect the values of Canadians. Under this approach, workers who fall below the government’s high-wage threshold risk being left behind, including essential workers, caregivers, health-care workers and tradespeople whose contributions are indispensable to our communities and economy. Their value cannot be reduced to the size of a paycheque.
The government is also creating serious risks by offering up to 100 additional Express Entry points for qualifying high-wage job offers without requiring a Labour Market Impact Assessment, or LMIA. The existing LMIA system has already been plagued by fraud, including the illicit buying and selling of assessments. Removing this requirement without demonstrating that equivalent safeguards are in place raises serious concerns about the integrity of the immigration system. Instead of the LMIA process, individual immigration officers will be responsible for verifying whether job offers are genuine and employers are legitimate businesses. This will place additional demands on an already stretched system, create opportunities for fraud and risk increasing processing times.
There is another fundamental concern: without the LMIA process, the government will no longer assess through that mechanism whether Canadians are available to fill these positions. This is an important tool to assess if there is a genuine need to go outside of Canada to fill these positions.
Canada needs an immigration system that values workers fairly, protects people from exploitation and responds to genuine labour-market needs—not one that privileges high earners while leaving essential workers behind.
The government must establish clear, stable pathways to permanent residency for people already in Canada, including international graduates and temporary workers who have contributed to their communities. Immigration selection should reflect the full range of Canada's labour needs, not simply prioritize higher-wage occupations.
We are seeing a pattern of policy lurching on immigration from the Carney government that is creating confusion and chaos for people navigating the system. International students, temporary workers and families make major decisions about education, employment and their futures based on government rules. When those rules repeatedly change, people are left wondering whether their investments and contributions will still count. The government cannot keep moving the goalposts and expect people to plan their lives with confidence. Canada needs a coherent, long-term immigration strategy with predictable pathways, clear objectives and fair transition measures. The immigration system has gone backwards under the Carney government. This government has directly caused chaos on the immigration file.
Despite promises that processing would be completed in 10 days, more than 130 Palestinian students accepted into Canadian universities remain trapped in extreme delay, with some losing their admissions or risking their lives while waiting.
I issued an open letter calling on Ministers Lena Diab and Gary Anandasangaree to immediately address this crisis. The government must apply existing flexibility rules for biometrics in Gaza, conduct a second review of rejected applications relying on generic refusal reasons, and establish a dedicated mechanism to ensure fair, individualized, and timely decisions.