PREAMBLE

On 6 February 2014, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration (the Committee) adopted the following motion for the present study:

That the Committee study how to strengthen the integrity of the Immigration Spousal Sponsorship Program. The Committee will look at ways to ensure sponsored spouses have the skills they need to succeed in Canada; examine how to better prevent vulnerable women from being victimized by an abusive sponsor, and as a consequence any potential penalties to the sponsor. The Committee will also examine what peer countries have done to protect women in spousal sponsorship programs. More specifically, the Committee will study what actions the Government has taken or plans to take to ensure vulnerable spouses are protected and have the skills they need to succeed independently. Areas of study would include forced marriages, polygamy, proxy marriages, immigrant women in the workforce and helping women break out of isolationism.

The Committee heard from 51 witnesses over the period of 26 February to 26 May 2014.