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Canada ends parental sponsorship of new immigrants, causing families to be separated

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The Canadian government recently announced that it is indefinitely suspending new permanent resident sponsorship applications for parents and grandparents.

Until the suspension, a limited number of qualifying Canadian citizens and permanent residents could apply to bring a parent or grandparent to Canada. The only option now is a 10-year super visa, which allows people to stay in Canada for up to five years at a time.

The suspension is part of the federal government’s broader push to reduce permanent immigration by 20%.

The announcement could come as devastating news for thousands of immigrant families who have settled in Canada in hopes of reuniting with their parents. The suspension could also further undermine Canada’s efforts to recruit and retain skilled immigrants and address chronic labor shortages.

Culture Matters: Defining Family

While some Western cultures view the family unit as a couple and their children, many other cultures view the unit as larger and view parents as an integral part of the family or household.

I grew up in China and was the only child in my family, so coming to Canada to work was a difficult decision. I dedicated my Ph.D. Essay to parents:

“I would like to thank my parents…It was not easy for my parents to spend every day without their only daughter by their side, especially around Chinese New Year.My parents love me very much, so I It allowed me to live half a world away and pursue my life’s passion and career! ”

Ever since I left China over 10 years ago, how to care for my elderly parents has been on my mind. As a child of a working class family, part of my financial equation is supporting my parents, including sponsoring them to immigrate to Canada (if they are willing to immigrate). Masu.

I’m not alone. According to 2021 Canadian Census data, more than 700,000 immigrants to Canada are from China. And many of them were born during the one-child policy era from 1979 to 2015.

Over the years, I have served as an expert witness in many immigration cases where immigrants needed to justify why it was important for their parents to immigrate to Canada.

We explained that in such cases, young children are considered dependents of the main immigration applicant, and their parents may be construed as dependents, just as they would be recognized as accompanying immediate family members.

The current definition of “dependent” in Canadian immigration reflects what eminent sociologist Dorothy Smith called the standard North American family, emphasizing parents and young children living in the same household as a family. I am doing it.

However, many recent immigrants to Canada have come from countries such as India, the Philippines, China, Syria, and Nigeria, places where elderly parents and adult children rely on mutual aid to sustain their families. .

Separation and nursing care issues

Culture is also important. For example, in China and other countries, the idea of ​​placing parents in foster care is considered shameful. Because of the cultural emphasis on filial piety, people believe that relying on nursing homes for elder care is a personal failure, a sign of abandonment by adult children, and a serious violation of the dignity of the elderly. We often recognize that this can lead to significant loss.

The director of an elderly care center in Shanghai said, “If people get along well with children, few people will consider nursing homes.”

In addition to this, the reality of nursing homes in China is harsh. In Shanghai, China’s largest city, there are fewer than three nursing home beds for every 100 elderly residents. The shortage is even worse in other developing regions, where there are virtually no nursing homes to care for elderly people with disabilities.

Lack of social connection with adult children is a significant risk factor for physical and verbal abuse. Parents who immigrate to Canada may lack social connections with their children, making them especially vulnerable to abuse and neglect in foster care.

Older immigrants are not a burden

A common argument against immigrant parents and grandparents is that they are a burden to Canada’s welfare and health care system.

However, research shows that older immigrants are not a burden on Canadian society, as is commonly believed. In fact, according to an article in Canadian Ethnic Studies, “supported parents and grandparents not only make significant economic contributions to Canadian society, but also make non-economic contributions that are often overlooked. “I’m on my way.”

For example, due to a lack of affordable child care in Canada, many immigrant families rely on grandparents to care for young children so that parents, especially women, can continue to work outside the home. Many older immigrants also contribute to Canada’s economy through paid employment and enrich Canadian communities through a variety of volunteer activities.

Canada competes with other countries for skilled workers. Allowing immigrants to be reunited with their parents (and grandparents) is not only the right humanitarian choice; This will also help Canadian families with their daily lives, not to mention furthering Canada’s efforts to retain much-needed talent.

Presented by The Conversation

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.conversation

Citation: Canada Separates Families, Ends Immigration Sponsorships for New Parents (January 12, 2025) https://phys.org/news/2025-01-canada-halts-parent-immigration-sponsorships.html Retrieved January 12, 2025 from

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