Filipino Caregivers and their Families Reunited in Toronto

Ms. Lani Aguinaldo, Head of the Friendship Team of the Mt. Zion Filipino Seventh-Day Adventist Church (MZFSDAC) introducing the honoree, Hon. Ahmed D. Hussen, Minister of IRCC.

01 March 2018 TORONTO – Filipino caregivers and their families are finally reunited after waiting for almost a decade.

Minister Ahmed Hussen, Minister for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) attended the Appreciation event organized by Filipino caregivers at the Mt. Zion Filipino Adventist Church in Toronto, Canada on February 17.

He mentioned in his speech that he alone cannot accept the award and recognition; that it should likewise go to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who supported his work, as well as all the hardworking MPs who championed the cause of caregivers.

Minister Hussen announced that since he assumed office, they were able to decrease the backlog in the caregivers and spousal programmes to 21,000 and that the present government is committed to eliminate the backlog by the end of 2018.  He also said that they have eliminated the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) processing fees of CA$1,000.00 for families or individuals seeking to hire foreign caregivers and whose income is less than CA$150,000/year.

Philippine Consul General in Toronto Rosalita Prospero thanked Minister Hussen for their positive action in the reunification of the Filipino caregivers and their families.  She highlighted in her speech that the family is the core of the Philippine society and a valuable support system of an individual, and that it is ironic if those who care and give support to others are far away from their very own support system.

Other officials present during the Appreciation event were:  MP Deborah Schulte (Minister of Parliament for Vaughan and King City), MP Michael Levitt (Minister of Parliament for York Centre, North York), MP Francesco Sorbara (Minister of Parliament for Vaughan and Woordbridge), and Counsellor Sunder Sing (Local and Regional Counsellor for the City of Vaughn). END

The Filipino caregivers and their families and Mt. Zion Pastor Ly (farthest left), with the 4 Ministers of Parliament namely:  MP Francesco Sorbara, MP Michael Levitt, MP Ahmed Hussen, and MP Deborah Schulte.

Consul General Rosalita Prospero delivering her Response to MP Hussen’s Address

For more information, visit www.torontopcg.dfa.gov.ph / www.philcongen-toronto.com or https://www.facebook.com/PHinToronto.