Sign petition: Citizenship Act Bill C-24 discrimination

[sashali78]

New Citizenship Act Bill C-24 is going to affect all foreign temporary workers and students the most. In fact it discriminates against this group as it is the only group which will be affected by twice as long extension period. It is hard to argue the Bill as whole, but disallowing the count of pre-PR days towards citizenship is clearly unjust and unlogical slap on the temporary residents face. I have started a petition on Change.Org here:
https://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/senate-of-canada-house-of-commons-mp-s-do-not-allow-the-discrimination-of-former-foreign-workers-by-the-new-canadian-citizenship-bill-c-24#

Once we have enough support and signatures I will plan to take it to media, MP's and House of Commons. Your help s crucial, please sign, forward and share on Facebook, Twitter as much as you can.

Thank you
Alex

 

[guri3577]

Re: New Citizenship Act Bill C-24 discrimination against former foreign workers

Although for some of you this may be still a long way ahead but the new Citizenship Act Bill C-24 is going to affect all foreign temporary workers. In fact it discriminates against our group as we are the only group which will be affected by twice as long extension period.
I have started a petition on Change.Org here: https://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/senate-of-canada-house-of-commons-mp-s-do-not-allow-the-discrimination-of-former-foreign-workers-by-the-new-canadian-citizenship-bill-c-24#

Once we have enough support and signatures I will plan to take it to media, MP's and House of Commons. Your help s crucial, please sign, forward and share on Facebook, Twitter as much as you can.

Thank you
Alex

Th other group that will be affected is international students who get PR through spousal sponsorship.

 

[scylla]

Re: New Citizenship Act Bill C-24 discrimination against former foreign workers

LCP PR applicants are affected - possibly worse than anyone else if you look at the average timeline for the entire immigration category. They need to complete 2 years of work in Canada before they can apply for PR and then PR processing times are very long (currently sitting at 39 months). So you're looking at six years of working and living in Canada before PR.

 

[sashali78]

Re: New Citizenship Act Bill C-24 discrimination against former foreign workers

LCP PR applicants are affected - possibly worse than anyone else if you look at the average timeline for the entire immigration category. They need to complete 2 years of work in Canada before they can apply for PR and then PR processing times are very long (currently sitting at 39 months). So you're looking at six years of working and living in Canada before PR.

That's true. This amendment is an unjust try by the conservative government to cut backlog by reducing the number of applicants. Nothing else stands behind it. The former foreign workers are the best and most contributing stream on immigration to Canada. By signing and distributing the above petition we might be able to change the bill and future law.

 

[meyakanor]

Re: Citizenship Act Bill C-24 discrimination of former foreign workers and students

The four major groups that will get affected the most by this provision (eliminating non-PR days for citizenship purposes):

1. Former foreign workers who applied under:
- CEC (1 year working full-time in Canada + 1 year of processing times)
- FSW Stream 2 (2 - 3 years processing times while in Canada)
- MI1 FSW Stream 3 (1 year to qualify + 3 years for processing times; this stream is notorious for being slow)
- PNP (2 years processing times from applying for nomination to the point of grant of permanent residency)
- LCP (as scylla said, 2 years to qualify + 4 years of processing times)

2. Former international students who applied under:
- FSW PhD stream (2 years in a Canadian PhD program to qualify + 2 years of processing times)
- MI1 FSW Stream 3 (1 year to qualify + about 3 years of processing times; all those months likely will be spent in Canada)
- PNP (some provinces offer international graduate streams for Master's and PhD graduates, or Bachelor's graduates with job offer: this could take 2 years: 6 months for nomination + about 1.5 years of PR processing times)

3. Spouses or partners of Canadian citizens or PR who applied inland under the family class (compared to economic classes, family class seems to get processed much faster, but as noted by someone else here, some of these spouses were students or foreign workers before they became PR, and all those years before PR will count for nothing for citizenship purposes)

4. Those granted PR through the refugee stream (might be the one hardest hit if this amendment goes through).

Again, while the government owes us no explanation and we have to be grateful that we were granted PR at all, I would still like to ask once again (since we have the rights to ask whatever questions we want), in what way would counting these pre-PR days cheapen the value of Canadian citizenship?

 

[sashali78]

Re: Citizenship Act Bill C-24 discrimination of former foreign workers and students

The four major groups that will get affected the most by this provision (eliminating non-PR days for citizenship purposes):

1. Former foreign workers who applied under:
- CEC (1 year working full-time in Canada + 1 year of processing times)
- FSW Stream 2 (2 - 3 years processing times while in Canada)
- MI1 FSW Stream 3 (1 year to qualify + 3 years for processing times; this stream is notorious for being slow)
- PNP (2 years processing times from applying for nomination to the point of grant of permanent residency)
- LCP (as scylla said, 2 years to qualify + 4 years of processing times)

2. Former international students who applied under:
- FSW PhD stream (2 years in a Canadian PhD program to qualify + 2 years of processing times)
- MI1 FSW Stream 3 (1 year to qualify + about 3 years of processing times; all those months likely will be spent in Canada)
- PNP (some provinces offer international graduate streams for Master's and PhD graduates, or Bachelor's graduates with job offer: this could take 2 years: 6 months for nomination + about 1.5 years of PR processing times)

3. Spouses or partners of Canadian citizens or PR who applied inland under the family class (compared to economic classes, family class seems to get processed much faster, but as noted by someone else here, some of these spouses were students or foreign workers before they became PR, and all those years before PR will count for nothing for citizenship purposes)

4. Those granted PR through the refugee stream (might be the one hardest hit if this amendment goes through).

Again, while the government owes us no explanation and we have to be grateful that we were granted PR at all, I would still like to ask once again (since we have the rights to ask whatever questions we want), in what way would counting these pre-PR days cheapen the value of Canadian citizenship?

I actually disagree with your last statement. While granting PR is indeed in total Government's discretion and not to be argued, the Citizenship is totally a different issue. As Canadian Permanent Resident you are protected under Canadian Charter of Rights and should have a clear path to Citizenship. This path should not to be played with by Government as they see fit for the moment. The way I see it, it is Government's way to reduce the future backlog for "cheap". After all , who is going to fight for the rights and benefits of the temporary residents? It is now our right and duty to beg the difference.

 

[zardoz]

Re: Citizenship Act Bill C-24 discrimination of former foreign workers and students

As Canadian Permanent Resident you are protected under Canadian Charter of Rights and should have a clear path to Citizenship.

I'm a little unsure which section of the Charter says anything about permanent residents having a right to citizenship. Could you point it out to me?

 

[sashali78]

Re: Citizenship Act Bill C-24 discrimination of former foreign workers and students

I'm a little unsure which section of the Charter says anything about permanent residents having a right to citizenship. Could you point it out to me?

I didn't say there is anything in the Canadian Charter of Rights to do with Citizenship Act. I said that as a PR you are protected under Canadian Charter of Rights and meant tha you have the right of speech, protest and free opinion which is exactly what I am trying to promote with the aforementioned petition.
So, please, try to curb your cynicism and feel free to share your thoughts

 

[zardoz]

Re: Citizenship Act Bill C-24 discrimination of former foreign workers and students

I didn't say there is anything in the Canadian Charter of Rights to do with Citizenship Act. I said that as a PR you are protected under Canadian Charter of Rights and meant tha you have the right of speech, protest and free opinion which is exactly what I am trying to promote with the aforementioned petition.
So, please, try to curb your cynicism and feel free to share your thoughts

You wouldn't want to hear my thoughts, because I don't actually agree with you regarding the Bill.

 

[sashali78]

Re: Citizenship Act Bill C-24 discrimination of former foreign workers and students

You wouldn't want to hear my thoughts, because I don't actually agree with you regarding the Bill.

I would. But I would appreciate if you can refer only to that part which talks about abolishing of counting temporary residence towards citizenship residency requirements. I do agree with the majority of the other bill amendments.

 

[MrB]

Re: Citizenship Act Bill C-24 discrimination of former foreign workers and students

The Honourable Minister Alexander made the following statement in a press release as a justification/rationale to increasing the eligibility period

"That means making sure that people who are becoming citizens have really lived here, and have lived here for enough time to really understand what citizenship is about, what the country is about."

Eliminating the time spent in Canada before becoming Canadian contradicts the above statement. It's also devalues the time spent in Canada before becoming PR, undermining that time period and implying that time spent pre-permanent residency cannot account for an "individual having really lived here, and for enough time for him/her to understand what citizenship is about, and what the country is about."

I beg to differ Minister Alexander, I came here when I was 17, now I am 29 yrs old. I have spent 11 years in Canada and 9 of those 11 years were pre-permanent residency years. I have established myself in Canada and contributed my quota to the Canadian economy through gainful employment and experience.

Most importantly, having spent the ages 17 – present (29yrs), in Canada, representing the entirety of my adult life, Canada represents the institution of home in my life as evident in my friends, interests, values, habits and culture.

This is a summary of my story, I am sure many of you have similar or more compelling stories to tell. I have written my MP and I suggest you all should do the same. I will support any petition to address that aspect of the bill.

That said, I am for reform and I think majority of the bill is progressive and could possibly have positive effects on future applicants and the integrity of the citizenship process.

cheers!

 

[WeiJie]

Thanks for creating this petition--a good way to be heard. Hopefully, in consultations on the amendment, this point will be heard loud and clear. It is illogical to eliminate pre-PR time from consideration because this time in Canada is physical presence and evidence of integration into society--precisely what strengthening the citizenship act is about.

 

[FAS]

Hi Alex, thanks a lot for starting the petition. Can you please also add about the intent to reside provision in the new bill. This will create dual standard citizenship whereby we could be subject to different rules as compared to born citizens. Most of the people do intend to stay in Canada, statistic show that, very few are citizen of convenience, but the new bill seems to target all. FAS.

 

[scylla]

Hi Alex, thanks a lot for starting the petition. Can you please also add about the intent to reside provision in the new bill. This will create dual standard citizenship whereby we could be subject to different rules as compared to born citizens. Most of the people do intend to stay in Canada, statistic show that, very few are citizen of convenience, but the new bill seems to target all. FAS.

You can't add things to a petition once it's been posted and people have started signing. If you want to change anything in the petition, then a new one has to be posted and people have to start signing again from scratch.

 

[sashali78]

You can't add things to a petition once it's been posted and people have started signing. If you want to change anything in the petition, then a new one has to be posted and people have to start signing again from scratch.

I am afraid Scylla is right. Although it might be technically possible, I feel it would be unfair to change or expand the a major subject in a petition.