Children of dozens of temporary residents in Quebec aren't being allowed to return to Canada after travelling with their parents outside the country because of the strict COVID-19 travel restrictions.
To elaborate: the non Canadian born Children of temporary residents are considered "visitors," regardless if they were educated in the country which means Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) needs to approve their re entry.
For example Lacroix and her daughter, Louhann, who is aged 14, travelled to Montreal for France on June 21 to visit Lacroix's father. The visit was essential to the family because they hadn't met him face to face since coming to Canada four years ago and because, most of all he is dying of cancer.
Trying to return to Canada , the mother and daughter stopped in Germany for a connecting flight to Montreal. The mother says Air Canada staff prevented Louhann from boarding the plane "because of her visa." She requested an explanation but in vain.
But on July 13th a spokesperson for IRCC announced that immediate family members, such as the dependants of temporary residents, may be eligible tore-enter Canada if they prove they travelled for essential or non-discretionary reasons.
The spokesperson Sonia Lesage added "To be exempt, [children] must also get written permission from the IRCC if they are from a country other than the United States,"
Yet With no relatives in France to take care of her, Lacroix's daughter will have to stay with family friends till her application to return is processed. The mother finds it extremely difficult to be separated from her daughter , with no fixed date to be reunited.
