Canada gives Zimbabweans 6 more months to legalize stay
By Ndimyake Mwakalyele
Zimbabweans living in Canada have an additional six months to apply for permanent residency to live legally in the country, on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.
The extension, announced on the Canadian government’s website Friday, took effect Thursday, February 4th, and is in addition to the Temporary Suspension of Removals (TSR) given to the citizens of the two countries on December 1st, 2014, and applies also to Haitians.
As a result of the special measure, the Canada Border and Services Agency (CBSA) will defer any removals, meaning that any affected individuals who are eligible under the special measures, will not be removed from Canada if they submit a humanitarian and compassionate application to Refugees, Immigration, and Citizenship in Canada (IRCC), while they await a final decision on their application.
According to the announcement, the extension is in addition to the TSR given to the citizens of the two countries on December 1st, 2014, and affects those who have not applied for permanent residence in Canada, based on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.
The measure does not extend to foreign nationals who are inadmissible and subject to removal on the grounds of criminality, international or human rights violations, organized crime or security.
Canada’s country’s Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Ralph Goodale, is quoted in the announcement saying that the special measures “support Canada’s rich humanitarian tradition, and will give more opportunities for Haitians and Zimbabweans to build successful lives in Canada.”
Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, John McCallum also quoted, encourages “all Haitians and Zimbabweans who want to make this country their permanent home, for permanent resident status” to regularize their status.
About 125 Zimbabwean nationals could benefit from these special measures. VOA Zimbabwe
