Sudanese Londoners eagerly await their application status as Ottawa reopens family pathway

Members of London’s Sudanese community are expressing both relief and concern as Ottawa reopens a program aimed at bringing their relatives stuck in the war zone to safety in Canada. While they welcome the news that the family-based humanitarian pathway will be accepting new applications starting on Feb. 25, they are also seeking clarity on the processing times for their existing applications.

Federal Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced the reopening of the program, with an additional 1,750 applications being accepted on top of the 3,250 already in queue, bringing the total to 5,000. This move has been welcomed by London resident Nuha Mohamed, who has applied to bring her brother, his wife, their four children, as well as her sister and her three children to Canada.

However, Sudanese Canadians have voiced concerns about the program’s limited capacity, lengthy processing times, and financial requirements. Applicants are required to show a high income or have $9,900 set aside per person they are applying for, in addition to processing fees.

Mohamed, who applied for her family in February 2024, has only completed the biometric requirement so far, with no updates on the application status since then. She emphasized the urgency of the situation, given the ongoing conflict in Sudan and the dire conditions faced by those still in the country.

The United Nations has reported that half of Sudan’s population is experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity, with millions displaced and tens of thousands dead due to the conflict. This has been declared the worst humanitarian crisis in the world by the African Union.

Miller also announced plans to resettle 4,700 refugees fleeing the civil war in Sudan by the end of 2026, with 4,000 receiving government assistance and 700 arriving through private sponsorship. The program, which was paused after reaching capacity last year, aims to bring roughly 10,000 people to Canada through family sponsorships.

London immigration consultant Samah Mahmoud, part of a Sudanese-Canadian advocacy subcommittee, emphasized the need for clear timelines and processing information for applicants. Pressure from the community has led to the program’s extension, but families remain concerned about the capacity and timelines for their loved ones’ arrivals.

Mahmoud stressed the importance of transparency and efficiency in the process, especially given the urgency of the situation in Sudan. The community is grateful for the government’s decision to reopen the program but believes more needs to be done to address the ongoing crisis.

Overall, the Sudanese community in London is hopeful that the program will provide a lifeline for their loved ones in Sudan, but they are also urging the government to ensure a swift and transparent process for all applicants.