Ordinarily, asylum seekers must wait for their claims to be accepted before they can become permanent residents, but the new program waives that requirement.
The program will allow"Guardian Angels" to be recognized for their work during the coronavirus pandemic.MONTREAL — Asylum seekers working on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis are getting an early chance at permanent residency in Canada, but some advocates say the government’s plan will leave thousands of workers on the sidelines.
In an interview Friday, Mendicino called the announcement historic, and a reflection of the fact asylum claimants put themselves at risk to contribute day-after-day on the front lines, in hospitals and in retirement homes, even without permanent status in Canada. But during the height of the COVID-19 crisis, when it emerged that refugee claimants were among those toiling in Quebec’s hard-hit long-term care facilities, public support began to build in favour of granting them special residency status.
That was echoed by Wilner Cayo, president of Debout pour la dignite, a Montreal group that has pushed for the federal government to grant permanent status to all asylum seekers working on the front lines.
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