Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has announced that it will prioritize the processing of applications on request from people who self-identify as being significantly and personally affected by recent typhoon activity in the Philippines. This initiative will include existing applications of Family Class sponsorship applicants under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and those permanent residents of Canada who have been refused a travel document for return to Canada because they have not met their residency obligation under the Act.
Where an appeal has been filed at the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) involving a Filipino foreign national or permanent resident of Canada who is from the affected region, the IAD will consider whether priority processing of the IAD appeal is appropriate. In order to be considered for priority processing, it is necessary that the appellant write to the regional office of the IAD in which their appeal was filed, with a copy to the regional office of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), and include the following information:
- CIC and IAD file numbers;
- names of person(s) affected including the appellant;
- specific geographical location of the person(s) affected;
- brief explanation as to how the individual(s) is/are significantly and personally affected by the typhoon event; and
- a statement as to why the appeal ought to be given priority processing presently.
Upon receipt of the application for priority processing, the regional office of the CBSA will have seven days to respond to the application. If the applicant wishes to file a reply to the CBSA submissions, they will have seven days following.
The IAD will consider the application and determine the appropriate case management strategy including priority processing of the appeal, based on the submissions received from the parties.
Immigration measures in support of the Government’s response to Typhoon Haiyan are available on CIC’s website.