Monday, Canada's Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander, and Steven Blaney, Canada’s Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, announced in a statement, the immediate lifting of the Temporary Suspension of removals (TSR) of Haitian nationals, imposed on Haiti since 2004. This affects about 3,200 Haitians living mainly in the Montreal area because of their immigration application or asylum rejected, but had not been returned to their country because of a situation deemed too dangerous.

"Canada's Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander, and Steven Blaney, Canada’s Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, today announced that the temporary suspension of removals for Haiti and Zimbabwe has been lifted, effective immediately. With the suspension now lifted, affected individuals will be provided with an additional six months to apply for permanent residence in Canada.

The Government of Canada is implementing measures for individuals affected by the lifting of the temporary suspension of removals. All affected individuals will be given an additional six months to stay in Canada, with access to work permits. This will allow them enough time to either apply for permanent residence in Canada based on humanitarian and compassionate (H&C) grounds or return home. In support of this measure, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) will defer their removal pending a final decision on their H&C application." Steven Blaney, explained "Haitians and Zimbabweans have demonstrated tremendous courage in recovering from the earthquake of 2010 and years of political instability. After a thorough review of country conditions, the Government of Canada is lifting the temporary suspension of removals to these countries as others of our international allies have already done."

For his part Chris Alexander recalled that "Canada is one of the most generous countries in the world, and we have extended that generosity for over 10 years to Haitians and Zimbabweans by allowing them to stay in Canada because of unsafe conditions in their home countries. With the temporary suspension now lifted, the uncertainty has ended and Haitians and Zimbabweans will have the opportunity to apply to make Canada their permanent home."

HL/ HaitiLibre