RESIDENCY OFFERED TO FRONT LINE WORKERS
Asylum seekers at forefront of COVID battle
Asylum seekers working on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis are getting an early chance at permanent residency in Canada, but some advocates say the government’s plan will leave thousands of workers on the sidelines.
Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino announced the program Friday in response to public demand that the so-called “Guardian Angels” — many in Quebec — be recognized for their work in health care during the pandemic.
Ordinarily, asylum seekers must wait for their claims to be accepted before they can become permanent residents, but the new program waives that requirement.
To apply, they must have claimed asylum in Canada prior to March 13 and have spent no less than 120 hours working as an orderly, nurse or another designated occupation between the date of their claim and Aug. 14.
Applicants must also demonstrate they have six months of experience in the profession before they can
THEY DEMONSTRATED A UNIQUELY CANADIAN QUALITY.
receive permanent residency.
In an interview Friday, Mendicino called the announcement historic, and a reflection of the fact asylum claimants put themselves at risk to contribute in hospitals and in retirement homes, even without permanent status in Canada.
“They demonstrated a uniquely Canadian quality in that they were looking out for others and so that is why is today is so special,” he said.
The new program was the result of negotiations between the federal government and Quebec, who have had a strained relationship on the question of immigration, and in particular asylum claimants, in recent years.
Quebec has housed many of the nearly 60,000 people who requested asylum in Canada after crossing on foot into the country from the U.S.
The province had long called for Ottawa to do more to stem the flow of people and also increase financial support to Quebec to deal with the new arrivals and the pressures they were placing on local resources.
But during the height of the COVID-19 crisis, when it emerged that refugee claimants were among those toiling in Quebec’s hard-hit longterm care facilities, public support began to build in favour of granting them special residency status.
Exactly how many people would benefit is unclear. Some reports have suggested at least 1,000 could qualify.