Canada Speeds Up Visa Applications of Filipinos Affected by Yolanda

The Canadian embassy in Manila is speeding up the processing of hundreds of pending immigration visa application of super typhoon Yolanda survivors. This move is a part of their humanitarian aid to the Philippines. According to Ambassador Neil Reeder at a luncheon for the Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, the embassy is working overtime to facilitate the visa immigration applications.

Applications of those who are affected by typhoon Yolanda are being moved up. Apparently, most of these applications have already met the requirements and are just in process.

The Canadian embassy is specifically prioritizing applications from Samar, Leyte, Panay and northern Cebu. The embassy has called up some of the applicants to ask them if they want to press on with their applications. Responses differed because some said they are not yet ready to go and leave their families while others responded with an affirmative.

Special email addresses and dedicated phone lines have been set up by the Citizenship and Immigration Canada to answer any request from applicants and their families. Trunk lines have also been made available for Yolanda survivor applicants who want to declare their cases a priority.

As of now, the Philippines is the second country to have the most number of visa applications to Canada. China is the first. Because of this, Tagalog is now the fastest growing language group in Canada.