Long delays are a well-known feature of Canadian immigration processing, but the Nairobi visa office stands out for its extraordinarily long processing times. In 2009 processing times got slower at Nairobi. In 2008, half of privately sponsored refugees waited more than 40 months. As of mid-2009 the visa processing time was up to 42 months (3½ years). Nairobi is by far the slowest visa office for privately sponsored refugees.

Family members of refugees in Canada also face excruciatingly long waits if their case is being processed in Nairobi.

Canada has been bringing in more and more workers on temporary work permits, rather than as permanent residents. In recent years, the number of people in Canada as temporary foreign workers more than doubled.

Traditionally Canada has welcomed immigrants on a permanent basis, with most becoming citizens. The recent shift to temporary migration marks a dramatic change in policy, yet there has been little public debate.

The year began and ended with significant blows to refugees, delivered by Canada’s institutions.  In February, the Supreme Court of Canada refused to hear an appeal of the safe third country legal challenge, leaving in place the lower court ruling that allowed the government to send refugees back to the US whether or not that country is safe. The Federal Court of Appeal had ruled that the fact “that the US does not ‘actually’ comply [with its obligations to refugees] is irrelevant.

There were increasing calls in 2009 for the Canadian government to absorb the costs of transportation loans for refugees and refugee families. Media across the country have depicted the dramatic impacts of the transportation debt on resettled refugees and their families. Various actors, including educators, healthcare professionals and municipal governments, have taken up the issue and are calling on the government to change its policy.

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End the burden of transportation loans!