A family class immigrant is a person who is being invited to live in Canada by a specific relative of theirs; it can be siblings, parents, or such close relations. The  person inviting you needs to be a permanent resident of Canada, registered under Canadian Indian act for example if both of you are Indian and be older than 18years. 

Number paint a picture of family immigration sponsorship being slashed down by 78% in 2 nd quarter of 2020 post the pandemic hit on the world and the country if  you look at the same time of year, last year. Refugee levels have dropped the  most going as far as 85% and economic class immigration was downed by 52a survey conducted by the Association of Canadian Studies revealed that 36% of  survey participants strongly believed in favour of Family immigration in Canada  be getting a priority. This showed a 6% hike in believers compared to the last  year. 

From 2016 to 2020 before Covid-19 hit, the numbers were stabilized at 27% in favour of family immigration. Meanwhile the refugee class’ support dropped from  29 to 16%. 

Alberta is the most supportive towards family class immigrants, with 44% of its inhabitants agreeing about family class being the first priority among immigrants.  Following Alberta, Atlantic Canada is not far behind at 42% saying the same and  then comes Ontario agreeing by 36%. Even though Manitoba and Saskatchewan  were combined together to form the lowest headcount of support at 28%, it still is  higher than the support any other class got from these two places. 

Results were collected from 1,531 Canadian Citizens aged above 18. This survey was conducted between July 31 st ad august 2 nd . 2016 Census data was used to  ensure they were weighted according to gender, mother tongue, education level,  age, region, and if they had children in their households. This was done to make  sure the survey had a representative sample of the population. 

As the pandemic hit, many people were separated from their families and spouses and children due to processing delays, according to the critics. They also  mention that the Canadian government is not doing enough to reunite the  separated family members during the pandemic. 

A petition was released and was signed by over 6,000 people, gathering more  support then it aimed for, by the member of parliament Jenny Kwan calling for the  creation of a Special Temporary Resident Visa to allow spouses and their children  to reunite with their Canadian loved ones. 

This petition however won’t go before the parliament until the house resumes on 23 rd of the September. 

Before corona outbreak the 2020-2022 Immigration level plan was announced, locking in the family class immigration at 91,000 immigrants every year, while  Economic class and refugee lass levels were each scheduled to increase year  after year. 

Most Canadians wholeheartedly support immigration, something that is widely seen across all age groups but is mostly among younger generations.  While most Canadian , about 61% of them think immigration will help Canada’s  long term economic recovery, about 21% think immigration will hurt the  Canadian Economy instead. 

18% of the people responded not knowing which one of the two scenarios would happen. 

Atlantic Canada had the highest number of supporters at about 67%. Prairie Provinces were the least in agreement about Immigration recovering economy.  And even then people who supported this theory were 52% compared to those  who opposed it at 26% and who did not know at 22%. 

Canadian government is seeking to immigration for post Covid-19 economic recovery. Recently the Canadian ministers of immigration met to discuss the  future of immigration after coronavirus, and the importance of international  students and how to attract immigrants to rural Canadian communities.