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A global pandemic has affected the immigration process. Despite the lack of new arrivals, Canada welcomed 38,895 new permanent residents in January and February, a drop of 46.3 percent from the same period last year. A new one-time temporary-to-permanent resident program kicked off in May last year. However, there are still some challenges that newcomers must overcome before they can apply for permanent residence.
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IRCC’s online processing times tool was updated to provide more accurate estimates of processing times
IRCC recently updated its online processing times tool to provide more accurate estimates of how long it will take to process an application for permanent residency. The new estimates will be based on operational realities and the volume of applications being processed. The new estimates will allow future newcomers to better plan their immigration journeys. The new estimates will be dynamic, reflecting changes in operational facts and volumes.
In addition to updated processing time estimates, the government has rolled out new tools that make it easier for immigrants to monitor their immigration status. The processing times tool has been updated to reflect the data collected over the past six months. As a result, the updated estimates are more accurate than ever. The new tool will also include an online application tracker to keep applicants informed of the status of their applications.
Impact of the pandemic on immigration
The recent COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted U.S. immigration systems in many ways. Among other things, the Department of State has suspended routine visa services at all embassies and consulates worldwide. Appointments for immigrant and nonimmigrant visas have been canceled for these individuals. This applies to everyone from employees to relatives of U.S. citizens, as well as skilled workers and visitors.
The global halt in movement is unprecedented in modern times. Some people have compared the current pandemic to the 1918 Spanish Flu when global migration stopped. However, migration patterns changed after World War I. The consequences of this new pandemic will be felt for a long time. So, how will this pandemic affect migration patterns? Let’s discuss some of the possible impacts of the disease. The effects of the virus will be felt in the next decade and beyond.
Barriers to immigration for persons with costly health conditions
For lawfully present immigrants, there are many reasons why they might not have health coverage. For example, many are barred from enrolling in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program during their first five years of legal residency. While there are limited exceptions to this five-year bar, such as for pregnant women and young children, these barriers remain significant. This article provides some solutions to these problems. While the problem of health insurance coverage among immigrants remains a challenge, recent federal and state action has helped to address these issues.
Immigrant women have structural barriers to getting health coverage and care, especially the uninsured. In 2016, 34 percent of noncitizen women of reproductive age were uninsured, compared to nine percent of U.S.-born women. One study by Guttmacher found that women seeking contraception at Title X-funded health centers were significantly more likely to be uninsured than those without health insurance.