TFWs have faced a number of significant challenges throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and there is still much uncertainty regarding their status and the implications of the delays in the processing of their work permits.
First, according to the IRCC website, for open work permits for vulnerable workers: "Officers are instructed to process work permit applications on an urgent basis (5 business days from the time the application is received at the local IRCC office responsible for processing the application)." At the same time, the website also states: "However, processing times may be affected by fluctuating volumes of applications received at IRCC”. In reality, I have been informed by numerous advocates that within the past months the response time from IRCC has been on average one month for many who have applied. I am deeply concerned that this is far from the 5 business days as stated on the website. Given the precarious situation of these workers, it would be essential that their cases are processed expeditiously. I am therefore asking that you do everything you can to ensure the applications are indeed processed on an urgent basis - within 5 business days.
MP Jenny Kwan Calls For Removal of Immigration Minister Lena Diab
Enough is enough. I am calling on Prime Minister Carney to immediately fire the Minister of Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship, Lena Diab.
We have now learned that the minister responsible for Canada’s refugee system did not appear to know about the Singh case—the landmark Supreme Court decision that established fundamental Charter protections for refugee claimants and helped lay the foundation for Canada’s refugee determination system. That is not a minor gaffe. It is a profound failure of leadership.
Sadly, this is not an isolated incident. Not only has she proven herself to be inaccessible and unresponsive to major stakeholders including her own colleagues across all parties in parliament, Minister Diab has repeatedly demonstrated a complete lack of command over her portfolio, as she lurched from one disaster to another. To just name a few examples, these include the debacle in the revocation of Lost-Canadian families' citizenship certificates and passports; the back-pedalling of her stated timeline to process Palestinian graduate student visas within 10 days; and her use of "commercial and monetized social media platforms" to drop partial details about an upcoming temporary resident to a permanent resident program creating mass public confusion, speculation and an environment for predatory actors to exploit vulnerable applicants.
Minister Diab has overseen one of the worst periods of immigration policy in Canada in decades with drastic cuts to Canada's immigration levels plan, resettlement organizations and staffing resources. Her lack of leadership coupled with IRCC 's capacity crisis has only further escalated significant processing delays causing immense undue hardship for thousands of applicants and their families. She led the draconian asylum restrictions in Bill C-12 which is now subject to an active court challenge.
This government cannot keep asking people to pay the price for its incompetence. Minister Diab has lost the confidence of many this system is supposed to serve. I stand with frontline advocates and families who are calling for an immediate reset. Prime Minister Carney should fire Minister Diab.
