Ottawa — Foreigners who came to Canada as visitors and get married to a landed immigrant or a citizen of this country can henceforward apply for permanent residence without having to go back to the country of their origin and apply for immigration.
Under the new laws announced by the Immigration Minister Miss Flora MacDonald, visitors and others, including that seeking refugee status and whose applications are pending for review, would also be eligible for immigration on getting married, provided they meet medical and security requirements.
Miss MacDonald has also effected some changes in laws governing grant of amnesty to illegal aliens who voluntarily come forward by July 3, 1985, provided they have a five-year qualifying under-ground status’ and no criminal record.
Under the revised rules, the period prior to their illegal, stay in Canada, like being as a visitor or on student visa, will also be taken into account when determining the five-year qualifying period.
Cases where individuals fall short of the qualifying period marginally by a few days or weeks, but have successfully established themselves in Canada and have had no brush with the law would also be considered by the review committee sympathetically.
According to latest figures available, so far about 3,000 illegal aliens have qualified for landed immigrant status under the amnesty programme. It is estimated that there are some 50,000 illegals living in Canada.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 26, 1985
