Protected persons family reunification
Petitioners ask the Government of Canada to allow dependents to come to Canada after asylum approval, speed permanent‑resident processing for protected persons, and improve application tracking and transparency. The government responds that it is committed to reunification, announced a one‑time initiative to process more protected persons and dependents, and improved tracking tools.
Why we would sign this petition
- Speeds reunification and reduces prolonged family separation, easing hardship for asylum claimants and dependents during lengthy asylum and PR processing.
- Faster permanent‑resident processing helps integration by allowing protected persons and dependents to settle, work and access services sooner.
- Improved tracking and transparency reduces uncertainty, helps applicants plan, and increases accountability in decision‑making.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Expanding admissions and faster processing may exceed planned immigration levels and current processing capacity, risking backlogs elsewhere.
- Special measures could require significant resources and operational changes, creating trade‑offs with other immigration priorities and program integrity.
- The government has announced a one‑time processing initiative and tracking improvements; similar steps may address concerns without new legislation.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
Petition to the Government of Canada Canadian immigration policy and legislation have a long tradition of supporting family reunification; It is one of the primary principles of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA); The families of protected persons and convention refugees abroad are not excluded from Canadian immigration policies; Asylum seekers endure years of separation from their families, often as a result of war, incarceration or instability within their homelands; This hardship is further exacerbated by prolonged periods of separation while awaiting asylum decisions; They face additional challenges in reuniting with their families resulting from the refusal of temporary resident visas (TRVs) for family members abroad wishing to integrate into Canadian society; The processing time for permanent residence (PR) applications for Protected Persons in Canada typically takes two to three years; and It can take up to four years for them to be reunited with their dependents. We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Enact special measures aimed at rescuing the dependents of the primary applicant upon approval and establishment of the asylum claim, as this approach not only aids in the safe retrieval of the family members but also facilitates their reunion, thereby providing support and stability for the family unit in both situations; 2. Accelerate processing of Protected Persons’ PR applications in Canada to facilitate family reunification; and 3. Improve the tracking of application processing and transparency of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s procedures and decision-making.
Government response
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Signed by PETER FRAGISKATOS, M.P. Canada recognizes the importance of family reunification as a cornerstone of its immigration system and remains committed to supporting the safe reunification of protected persons with their family members abroad. Upholding its longstanding humanitarian tradition, the government continues to improve and facilitate pathways to permanent residence and citizenship for those granted protection, while working to reduce backlogs and enhance efficiency within the immigration process. Protected Persons in Canada An individual may be granted refugee protection through a positive decision from the Immigration and Refugee Board, or as a result of a positive Pre-Removal Risk Assessment. If approved, they receive protected person in Canada status. Protected persons in Canada are eligible to apply for Permanent Resident status, and can include their dependent family members in their application, regardless of whether the family member resides in Canada or abroad. Once the protected person in Canada is granted permanent residency, the dependent family member’s application can then be finalized. In order to maintain a well-managed immigration system, the Government of Canada maintains a three-year Immigration Levels Plan (updated annually) which establishes the number of protected persons in Canada and their dependent family members who can be admitted as permanent residents each year. While applying for Permanent Resident status is optional, the intent is to encourage protected persons to achieve full integration into Canadian society through the attainment of permanent residency and eventually Canadian citizenship. The majority of people who receive protected person in Canada status go on to apply for permanent residency and the majority are approved, with the average approval rate being 99% over the last four years (2020-2024). Family Reunification and the Protected Persons in Canada – One-time initiative Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada recognizes that the volume of applications for permanent residence from protected persons and their dependents exceeds allotted space in the Immigration Levels Plan and processing capacity, resulting in delays. To address this challenge, the Department announced on November 4, 2025 the 2026-2028 Multi-year Levels Plan which included a one-time initiative to process permanent resident applications for approximately 115,000 additional Protected Persons in Canada and their in-Canada dependents. This is in addition to the admissions space of 20,000 for Protected Persons and Dependents Abroad within the Levels Plan for 2026 and 2027. To be included in this initiative, individuals must have received protected person status after a decision by either the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada or Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada through a pre-removal risk assessment, and submitted an application for permanent residence on or before August 15, 2025. Application Tracking and Transparency Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada recognizes the importance of transparency and accessibility in the application process and has introduced several measures to enhance application tracking and client experience. These include an enhanced online processing times tool, which provides more detailed information for applicants, helping reduce uncertainty and increase confidence in the process. They also include the application status tracker, which provides clients the ability to track the status of their personal application. With these improved tools, applicants can track their current application status and view an estimate of the remaining time until their application is finalized. These improvements are complemented by regular updates and guidance on processing steps, expected timelines, and eligibility criteria, which help applicants understand the process and further enhance transparency and accountability.The Government of Canada remains committed to improving processing efficiency, promoting family unity, and ensuring that its humanitarian and immigration objectives continue to reflect compassion, fairness, and integrity.