Canadian government plans to fast track Filipino visa applications

Canada’s federal Government is aiming to fast-track visa applications from Filipinos already in the system, and is considering helping many more hit hard by Typhoon Haiyan.

The announcement, made late last week, stated that consular officials are working 24/7 to process applications from Filipinos already under consideration. Canadian consulates in the devastated areas are also working to assist Canadian citizens caught up in the disaster.

Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander told CTV in an interview that immigration officials had so far identified many hundreds of Filipino visa applications, adding that he expected the number to rise as investigations continue. All, he said, will be fast-tracked in order to give hope to those affected by the typhoon.

The minister explained that immigration staff are zeroing in on applications from residents on Cebu as well as the smaller islands hit by the storm. These people need urgent help, he continued, as they have lost members of their families, their homes, their livelihoods and their possessions.

Alexander confirmed that, before the typhoon struck, the Philippines was expected to be a major source of migrants to Canada in 2014. Target numbers for the live-in caregiver scheme had already been increased to 17,500, he said, adding that the expansion would benefit many families from the stricken areas.