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Immigration fast-track for quake-hit |
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Canadian immigration officials will expedite family reunification cases
for those affected by the earthquake tragedy in Pakistan, Prime
Minister Paul Martin has said.
“So many Canadians of Pakistani origin, of Indian origin, have lost
loved ones and it is our responsibility as a people to respond,” Mr
Martin told a news conference after a closed-door meeting with members
of Toronto's Pakistani community.
“These are human beings, this is a human tragedy and they are the relatives of so many Canadians,” Mr Martin added.
In a separate statement, Citizenship and Immigration Minister Joe Volpe
confirmed a number of measures were being taken to quicken the
immigration process for family members of Canadian citizens seriously
affected by the earthquake.
"The Government of Canada is committed to helping reunite close family
members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents who are seriously
and personally affected by the earthquake," said Mr Volpe.
"Immigration officials acted quickly after the (December 26, 2004)
tsunami and are taking a similar approach to this crisis," he added.
Mr Volpe said the federal government would employ the same immigration measures that were put in place after the tsunami.
New immigration applications from the disaster-stricken region were
fast-tracked and the government waived applicants' processing and
landing fees.
Ottawa also waived the normal fees for Canadian citizens and permanent residents wanting to sponsor orphaned children.
As it did after the tsunami disaster, CIC is expediting existing Family
Class immigration applications under the Immigration and Refugee
Protection Act for the immediate family members of individuals affected
by the earthquake.
Priority is being given to spouses, common-law partners, conjugal partners and dependent children.
New applications under the Family Class act will also be dealt with as expeditiously as possible, the statement added.
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