REBECCA ADAMS, KHYLA BAUTISTA, YZA RAMIREZ and BROOKE ROGERS • Guest Opinion
Recent immigrants seeking to escape threats of family violence face unacceptable bureaucratic barriers in Canada.
Individuals fleeing domestic violence who hold a temporary resident permit in Canada need a safety net to remain protected under the law. That’s why the Family Violence Temporary Residence Permit (FVTRP) was created.
The FVTRP program gives victims of domestic violence a chance to escape from their abuser without having to leave the country.
The FVTRP program is relatively new and still developing, even to this day. It lacks the structure and resources of other Canadian immigration programs.
So, we decided to see for ourselves how hard it is to apply for this permit.
When you visit the government of Canada FVTRP website, you are greeted with a lengthy page describing the program. Although informative, the page is nearly impossible for a non-native English speaker to understand.
The applicant is prompted to fill out an application form. However, the associated link takes you to another website with more readings, with the form nowhere to be found. The page is impossible to navigate, and the site does not offer resources to the reader such as where to find a domestic violence shelter or a food bank.
The program is still new, but every day a change is not made is a day a family potentially remains trapped in an abusive situation or faces deportation.
Domestic violence is a prevalent issue in Canada and across the world. Forms of abuse include physical, sexual, psychological, financial and neglect to provide basic human needs. Roughly 30 per cent of women experience domestic violence by their long-term partner.
Although stats regarding the geographic location of individuals fleeing domestic violence are not available, these issues may be more prevalent in the Atlantic provinces due to the fact they lack the welfare reforms and resources that more densely populated provinces might have
The FVTRP program was not specifically mentioned within Canada’s 2019 budget regarding department funding. The government funds an immigration program within Canada, but does not disclose how much of this money (if any) is being invested into the FVTRP.
If the government would put more funding into the FVTRP, the program would be able to save many more lives. It can give those holding temporary visas the opportunity to remain in Canada. Those struggling with family violence are often in life-or-death situations where time is of the most importance. Without reforms, these families will continue to struggle.
If a fleeing victim doesn’t sign up for the permit, they could lose their status of legally being in Canada and be deported back to the country in which they hold citizenship.
The FVTRP is valid for at least 180 days and is fee exempt. During that time, victims have to decide whether to apply for a fee-exempt workers’ permit, a permanent resident permit or go back to the country they originated from. Although well intended, the program simply has not been developed in the way that’s most needed. Drastic reform must happen so its accessibility can be improved.
Some might argue there are countless other immigration routes for these families to take, and that reforms and a higher budget are not necessary for such a program. What some might fail to realize is that this is the only program that specifically advertises on the government website that it will push and accelerate applications of those in abusive situations.
Although, theoretically, there are other programs these people could go through to remain in Canada, the process is lengthy and wait times are often years. Someone facing family violence needs immediate help. That is what this program, if reformed, will be able to do.
Rebecca Adams, Khyla Bautista, Yza Ramirez and Brooke Rogers are first-year University of Manitoba students who studied this issue for a social welfare course. They live in Winnipeg.
