Quebec taken to court over cancellation of 18,000 immigration applications
MONTREAL — The Quebec government is being sued over its decision to cancel a backlog of more than 18,000 immigration applications as it overhauls its system for selecting newcomers.
An association representing Quebec immigration lawyers filed an injunction request today seeking a halt to the policy. It wants the Immigration Department to be ordered to resume processing the applications.
The request, made in the name of a Korean woman, Seeun Park, states that potential immigrants whose applications have been scrapped feel humiliated and betrayed.
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People whose applications were already being processed were informed they would have to start over under a new system.
Quebec Immigration Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette tabled Bill 9 on Feb. 7, setting out a legal framework that would allow the province to be more selective with immigrants.
Jolin-Barrette said the new approach would better match applicants to the needs of the labour market and ensure immigrants speak French and respect Quebec values.
The Canadian Press
