Less Than A Week After Presenting The Idea
Online-only submissions for asylum seekers, an idea previously put forward by the Liberal government, has now been dropped.
This change was initially introduced during the most recent budget and would have required all migrants to electronically submit their claims. The rationale behind this was that paper-based applications would lead to processing delays. However, experts argued that a digital-only system would create additional obstacles for an already vulnerable group.
Arghavan Gerami, founder and senior counsel of Gerami Law PC, stated “if they’re in difficult circumstances, if they’re in a shelter, if they’re not able to gain access to counsel immediately… they will still have the onus of explaining the additional delay for not having made the claim earlier”.
Gerami’s statement was echoed by Aidan Strickland, the IRCC’s Press Secretary, who said that “accessibility is paramount”.
As a pandemic measure and a way to relieve pressure on the immigration system, the Government made changes to the way migrants could make asylum claims. Although the digital method was initially well-received, it soon became a requirement for all inland claimants.
In an interview with CBC, the executive director for the Canadian Council for Refugees said “what we often find is that the efficiencies are designed to accommodate the government and with very little thought to what it’s going to be like for people on the other side.”
Despite going back on its decision to implement online-only applications, the government is standing by their belief that digitizing the immigration system will help migrants “get through that process quickly”.
Immigration Minister Sean Fraser acknowledged that a portion of applicants do not have access to the digital process, but will continue to encourage them to apply online when possible.
