Did anyone watch the documentary on Marriage Fraud last night on CBC news?

[bobshynoswife]

My husband and I just finished watching the show, and it took us much longer than an hour to watch because we kept pausing it to discuss what we were seeing/hearing. It focused more on what to do once those fraudulent spouses make it to Canada, where it is nearly impossible to deport them, and also that Canadians are a prime target for fraudulent spouses because we give permanent residency immediately upon landing. It did make CIC look pretty bad, I thought.

I wondered what everyone else thought?

 

[Baloo]

It is crazy the way the system is abused at present.

I think that there should be a probationary period before full PR is awarded, two or three years maybe.
That way there could be a fast track system in CIC, which would help clear backlog. The full review of the applicant could be processed during the temporary PR.
Maybe temporary PR should also include being allowed to work, and it could also include an agreement that the applicant must volunteer for a few hours per week (to show commitment to the community).
Any breaches of rules would result in cancellation of the PR and deportation - only one appeal allowed.

But the removal process needs to be much more robust before we get anywhere near this.


Not that I have an opinion on this

 

[MandiF]

I'd really like to be able to see the documentary, but unfortunately it won't allow me to see it in UK.

Think it would be really interesting and allow us to have a bit more of an overview of why the whole process takes so long, to try and weed out these fake people.

 

[Love_Young]

Oh I knew there was something I was forgetting yesterday. Thanks for reminding me. I am going to go watch it now.
Let you know what I think then.

 

[rjessome]

I'm in it. Can you guess who I am?

http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/Shows/The_Passionate_Eye/1274903384/ID=1646528337

 

[Love_Young]

I just finished watching it. I have to say that even though I feel bad for all us genuine couples have to go through, I do think that Immigration needs to find a better way to protect this country and its people. Even though I would like to become a PR the moment I land, I would understand and respect the introduction of a conditional visa.

And rjessome, you were? Awesome. Well I do know that you married a man from Morocco and I know it is still genuine so were you one of the couples? How did it feel to be on TV?

 

[rjessome]

It felt weird! The point of doing this documentary (it was filmed more than 1.5 years ago) was to SHOW how hard and stressful the waits are for genuine couples. Unfortunately, a lot of what was discussed about the difficulties faced by genuine couples was cut out because CBC wanted to focus on the fraud aspect more and not look at how suspecting everyone of fraud was unfair to genuine couples.

That's my biggest fear. Although I am finished with the process, I'm concerned that this government will continue to overscrutinize genuine relationships and that is not the solution to marriage fraud. The fraudsters will be patient and the Canadians will continue to suffer.

My husband fully supports conditional visas. He says that if their "hearts aren't true, they don't belong here." I worry that conditional visas would create a class of people forced to live in abusive relationships. But I believe the government will do something relatively soon given all of the media attention lately and from other recent steps in amending immigration laws.

 

[PMM]

Hi

It felt weird! The point of doing this documentary (it was filmed more than 1.5 years ago) was to SHOW how hard and stressful the waits are for genuine couples. Unfortunately, a lot of what was discussed about the difficulties faced by genuine couples was cut out because CBC wanted to focus on the fraud aspect more and not look at how suspecting everyone of fraud was unfair to genuine couples.

That's my biggest fear. Although I am finished with the process, I'm concerned that this government will continue to overscrutinize genuine relationships and that is not the solution to marriage fraud. The fraudsters will be patient and the Canadians will continue to suffer.

My husband fully supports conditional visas. He says that if their "hearts aren't true, they don't belong here." I worry that conditional visas would create a class of people forced to live in abusive relationships. But I believe the government will do something relatively soon given all of the media attention lately and from other recent steps in amending immigration laws.

Conditional visa would probably be a no go. If CBSA doesn't have the resources to investigate "fraud" marriages, they sure won't have the resource to ensure that the persons admitted on conditional visa are still together. I also don't like the idea of a sponsor holding a "hammer" over the PI's head, if s/he doesn't conform to his/her wishes they are going to be sent home. With 65K family class immigrants a year, lets assume that about 60% are spouses, so that is 37K people attending a CIC to prove that they are still in the relationship every year. Can you image the backlog? CIC Can't cope with the Entrepreneurs interviews to check that they have met their conditions. And there are only about 1K per year.

 

[bobshynoswife]

I'm in it. Can you guess who I am?

http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/Shows/The_Passionate_Eye/1274903384/ID=1646528337

Are you the woman they focused on most? Dark hair, who's husband was in Canada at the end of filming? If so, do you know how the other woman's (long reddish hair) story turned out? Or, if you are the other woman, I guess I know how it ended up!

 

[bobshynoswife]

My husband fully supports conditional visas. He says that if their "hearts aren't true, they don't belong here." I worry that conditional visas would create a class of people forced to live in abusive relationships. But I believe the government will do something relatively soon given all of the media attention lately and from other recent steps in amending immigration laws.

I understand your thinking here, and it's just what Jason Kenney was saying on the show last night. However, most countries have probational spousal immigration, notably USA and UK, both countries with high spousal immigration rates, yet they don't seem to have problems with foreign spouses being kept in abusive marriages, for fear of losing status. Canada is the only country that does it this way (instant PR) but we can't be the only country that is doing the right thing...can we?

 

[rjessome]

Hi

Conditional visa would probably be a no go. If CBSA doesn't have the resources to investigate "fraud" marriages, they sure won't have the resource to ensure that the persons admitted on conditional visa are still together. I also don't like the idea of a sponsor holding a "hammer" over the PI's head, if s/he doesn't conform to his/her wishes they are going to be sent home. With 65K family class immigrants a year, lets assume that about 60% are spouses, so that is 37K people attending a CIC to prove that they are still in the relationship every year. Can you image the backlog? CIC Can't cope with the Entrepreneurs interviews to check that they have met their conditions. And there are only about 1K per year.

I couldn't agree with you more. The "hammer over the head" is already being done in some communities even though the law doesn't support it. But ignorance to the law and the lack of language skills can make a person very susceptible. And I don't suppose CIC/CBSA plan to hire another 1000 officers to do everything!

There was an article in the Edmonton Sun today, http://www.edmontonsun.com/comment/columnists/mindelle_jacobs/2010/11/15/16158476.html that states there were more than 49,000 overseas spousal applicants in 2009. 20% refused leaves approximately 39,200 approved. Less than 5% of cases report marriage fraud. That's 1960 cases of fraud. But what nobody focuses on is the other 37,240 GENUINE couples. It looks like the government is going to make the application process longer and more scrutinized if they don't go the conditional visa route. That's not fair and there needs to be another movement to prevent it because the tides are definitely moving toward something that will make the people going through this process now or in the future very UNhappy.

 

[Baloo]

I guess that without more resources any changes the government makes will just be a really big hammer to crack a peanut.
"All show, no go"

 

[leroadrunner]

...
There was an article in the Edmonton Sun today, http://www.edmontonsun.com/comment/columnists/mindelle_jacobs/2010/11/15/16158476.html that states there were more than 49,000 overseas spousal applicants in 2009. 20% refused leaves approximately 39,200 approved. Less than 5% of cases report marriage fraud. That's 1960 cases of fraud. But what nobody focuses on is the other 37,240 GENUINE couples. It looks like the government is going to make the application process longer and more scrutinized if they don't go the conditional visa route. That's not fair and there needs to be another movement to prevent it because the tides are definitely moving toward something that will make the people going through this process now or in the future very UNhappy.

This is my exact fear, that the process for legitimate couples is even longer and painful! If they do a temporary, hopefullly they can fastrack legit couples, I really pray for this.

 

[canindian]

My other half is arriving next Friday and I am so excited. I watched the documentary and found it informative but quite scary and I went through the complete range of emotions. It made me angry that the people who were crying foul were the same people who were probably bashing the system that it was taking too long to process applications and fought tooth and nail to convince immigration that they were genuine. It made me scared to think that there were no indicators that would have twigged the Canadian spouses that something was "off" with their spouses. That they went from couples who talked for hours a day, sending emails, texts etc to having pure disdain for each other. (Or were these couples who had a phone call and a couple of emails a month and the Canadian spouse couldn't get hold of the foreign national and heard all types of excuses...) It made me concerned that the documentary didn't address what these signs could be....but rather focused on the parties not wanting to honour the sponsorship agreement rather than providing education tips for people in the process to look at their relationships. I was amazed at the lack of compassion and assistance from the government. But basically they are saying the risk was taken on by the sponsor so deal with it......very tough balancing act! To be honest....I wish I hadn't watched it...lol.

 

[Yaya Marei]

I did not and I would not watched for many reasons

Many of the fraud marriage is not true, I know many cases just after sponsor done and they lived in Canada, they discovered they are not good for each other, and the part who is sponsor claim he under fraud married,

This is true I know one girl her husband sponsor her, never lived together, when they started there life, she found him careless bout her feeling, treat her shit, what should do, stay or people say fraud married, she try to work it out, told him many times this is not good but he never listen,

other friend when she came, she found he has girl for fun, what she supposed to do, stay with him or?

yes there are fraud married but not as TV or people shows, it is normal people married and some of them get divorce

I always talk to my wife about those cases and we believe most people get married not because of Canada but because of love. I am so happy I have my wife she knows I love her and chose her, and she chose me not based where we lived but what we are . she always said if does our paper not work she will come to live with me, this is what married are not where we lived but with who we live.