Frustration grows as federal family reunification program capped after 2 months

A federalhumanitarian program to bring migrants from the Caribbean and South America to Canada hasreachedcapacity fewer than two months after its launch,prompting criticism that it'san inequitableapproach to immigration from certain countries.

Ottawa resident Nixon Valere, 54,wasecstatic when the federal government announced inOctoberit would open the door to 11,000 people from Colombia, Venezuela and Haiti who haveimmediate family members living in Canada, either as citizens or permanent residents.

The program was officially launched the following month.

For years, Valerehas wanted to bring hissix brothers and their children from Haiti to join the rest of his family in Canada because it'sa dangerous and even deadlyplace to live, he said.

"The whole neighbourhood is invaded by gangs," said Valere, who left his hometown of Port-au-Prince for Canada in 1999. "They ask people to give money. If they don't give money, they will kill them. They don't care."

Haiti has faced its latest profound security crisis exacerbated by brazen criminal gangs since mid-2021, leading to rampant violence, cholera outbreaks and restricted access to food, waterand medical care.

• Joly says Canadians 'want to do more' to help Haiti as military intervention looms

As soon as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada(IRCC) launched the program on Nov. 17, Valere and his family in Canada submitted applications for their 12 relatives still in Haiti.

Valere said the application process proved challengingfrom the beginning.

Each one of his brothers and their children requireda number of documents including travel papers, police certificatesand in some cases, proof of a biometric exam.

Obtaining these documents in a country such as Haiti can be difficult, Valereexplained, recounting how onebrother was nearly gunned down by gang members as he took public transportationto get the results of his biometric exam.

It's not cheap, either:Each document costsup to several hundred dollars in U.S. currency, he said.

Valeresaid his family has spent thousands of dollars and many hoursuploading all the necessary paperwork, only to have each applicationreturned as "incomplete" by IRCC.

Program closed by new year

To make matters worse, there's no chance for him to upload any missing documents because the program closed after reaching capacityat the end of December.

Valere sent letters toIRCCrequesting more time to submit his application but has not received any response, he said.

"I feel really speechless.Useless, because I don't have any power to do anything anymore," Valere said.

Ottawa-based immigration lawyerArghavan Geramisaid thesituation is all too common with programs that havea set cap, where there's a rush to apply.

When that happens, people are "more prone to mistakes because of the fear of missing out," she said.

Anything from physical disabilitiesto language barriersto dangerous situations in certain countries can add to the challenge of successfullyapplying totheseprograms, said Gerami.

"For any application process, it ought to be designed in a way that the individuals do have a fair chance."

Decisions lacktransparency, says lawyer

Valere'sfrustrationhasalso prompted questions about the fairness of such programsand how the federal government determines the number of applicants Canada willaccept from certain countries.

IRCC has already faced criticism over its handling ofvisas for 1,000 Palestinians fleeing the war in Gaza. By comparison, Canada has issued nearly one million temporary emergency visas to Ukrainians fleeing the war there since March 2022.

With just 11,000 applicants allowed from Colombia, Venezuela and Haiti combined, Valere saidthe discrepancy is confusing and frustrating.

"Sometimes the system, you feel some inequality," he said.

Gerami said there's often a lack of transparency around IRCC programs. While it's understandablenot all immigration pathways can be open-ended, "there ought to be a policy rationale for each of these decisions of how many people can be admitted," she said.

In an email to CBC, IRCC spokesperson Julie Lafortune said "immigration responses are tailored to each different context to meet the unique needs of those who require our support."

Program intake caps are standard practice, Lafortune said. She did not explain exactly how individual responsesaretailored.

While IRCCdoes provide flexibility for applicants "unable to provide certain documents at the time of applying," this is only available while the program remains open, Lafortunesaid.

Valeresaid that flexibility doesn't extend far enoughand believes time is running out for his family in Haiti.

"My [family is]eventually going to be killed," he said.

Ottawa Morning9:37Frustration grows as federal family reunification program capped after 2 months

A federal humanitarian program to bring migrants from the Caribbean and South America to Canada has reached capacity less than two months after its launch, prompting criticism about what one man is calling the Canadian government's "inequitable" response to immigration from certain countries.