I am a medical doctor/healthcare worker from the Netherlands and got a 2-year job offer to work at the emergency room starting July 1st. As I want to be together with my common-law partner who I've been together with for years, we both applied for a visa in February. I applied for a LMIA exemption visa with an open work permit application for my common-law partner linked to my application. My visa got approved on 2 April 2020 and because of my job I am exempt from travel restrictions. Yet my common-law's visa application is still on submitted and it is unclear if she is allowed to accompany me.
Because the starting date of my job is approaching we want to travel to Canada so we applied for my common-law partner to be exempt from Canada’s Travel Restrictions for the Purpose of Family Reunification via e-mail. We've been in contact with IRCC and we received a(n online) reply stating:
"Your request to be exempt from the restrictions to travel to Canada listed in the Interim Order to Prevent Certain Persons from Boarding Flights to Canada due to COVID 19, no.3, under section 3(1)(b) of the Order in Council, Minimizing the Risk of Exposure to COVID-19 in Canada Order (Prohibition of Entry into Canada from any country other than the United States) has been refused.
Based on our assessment of the information you provided and the information in our system, we have not found that you meet the exemption criteria. In particular, the purpose of your travel is of an optional or discretionary nature.
o The travel restrictions apply to all travel of an optional or discretionary nature, such as tourism, entertainment or recreation.
Please note that, as you are not exempt from the restrictions to travel to Canada, you should not plan or undertake any travel to Canada, as you will be prevented from boarding your flight and/or entering Canada."
We attached our:
1. Representative form
2. My visa & visa approval letter
3. "Letter To Travel to Canada" from the hospital
4. Statutory Common Law Union
5. Detailed reason for travel.
and other relevant details like UCI,Passport number.
We didn't expect this answer at all and find the decision to deny travel exemption for accompanying partners quite remarkable. We feel like we can give a vital contribution to the healthcare system and can't believe IRCC could be expecting us to separate and feel like we're missing something. No explanation has been given on what policy or rules apply for accompanying direct family of vital foreign workers.
We e-mailed several times after this but they keep referring to the earlier message/reply without any explanation. We feel like we are being in a loop without given any feedback. Can anyone help with how to go forward from here? We are feeling a bit desperate and really want to know there's anything to be done.
Does anybody have an idea what we can do? Does anyone have a similar situation?
Because the starting date of my job is approaching we want to travel to Canada so we applied for my common-law partner to be exempt from Canada’s Travel Restrictions for the Purpose of Family Reunification via e-mail. We've been in contact with IRCC and we received a(n online) reply stating:
"Your request to be exempt from the restrictions to travel to Canada listed in the Interim Order to Prevent Certain Persons from Boarding Flights to Canada due to COVID 19, no.3, under section 3(1)(b) of the Order in Council, Minimizing the Risk of Exposure to COVID-19 in Canada Order (Prohibition of Entry into Canada from any country other than the United States) has been refused.
Based on our assessment of the information you provided and the information in our system, we have not found that you meet the exemption criteria. In particular, the purpose of your travel is of an optional or discretionary nature.
o The travel restrictions apply to all travel of an optional or discretionary nature, such as tourism, entertainment or recreation.
Please note that, as you are not exempt from the restrictions to travel to Canada, you should not plan or undertake any travel to Canada, as you will be prevented from boarding your flight and/or entering Canada."
We attached our:
1. Representative form
2. My visa & visa approval letter
3. "Letter To Travel to Canada" from the hospital
4. Statutory Common Law Union
5. Detailed reason for travel.
and other relevant details like UCI,Passport number.
We didn't expect this answer at all and find the decision to deny travel exemption for accompanying partners quite remarkable. We feel like we can give a vital contribution to the healthcare system and can't believe IRCC could be expecting us to separate and feel like we're missing something. No explanation has been given on what policy or rules apply for accompanying direct family of vital foreign workers.
We e-mailed several times after this but they keep referring to the earlier message/reply without any explanation. We feel like we are being in a loop without given any feedback. Can anyone help with how to go forward from here? We are feeling a bit desperate and really want to know there's anything to be done.
Does anybody have an idea what we can do? Does anyone have a similar situation?
.