Following the consultation meetings held with the Vietnamese communities in Toronto and Montreal last month, the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration of Canada today announced at a meeting with the representatives of the Vietnamese Canadian Federation a plan to facilitate immigration to Canada of Vietnamese living in the Philippines. Outlining how Humanitarian and Compassionate consideration can be utilized by this group to apply for permanent residence in Canada, the plan involves a mechanism through which people who do not meet the criteria of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act can apply for permanent residence. An immigration officer will assess the application and decide, on a case by case basis, if it merits an exemption from the requirements of the Act and the Regulations.   more »