A group representing Quebecers waiting to sponsor family members living abroad says the province is acting in bad faith by significantly reducing the number of family reunification applications it will accept.
Laurianne Lachapelle of Québec Réunifié says the decision will cause even more stress and delays for Quebec families who already wait much longer than other Canadians to bring their loved ones over.
Quebec announced last week that it would process a maximum of 13,000 family reunification applications over the next two years, after approving more than 16,500 in 2022 and more than 10,000 in the first six months of 2023.
A spokeswoman for Immigration Minister Christine Fréchette says the government wants to ensure the number of approved applications does not exceed the province’s immigration ceiling.
Although Ottawa has final approval, candidates who wish to bring their spouse or other family members to Quebec must first obtain a selection certificate from the province.
Laurianne Lachapelle, who has been waiting two years to bring her Guatemalan husband to Quebec, says she fears the cuts will cause the federal government to deem applications incomplete and reject them, forcing people to start the process over.
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