Sponsorship. . . For Better or For Worse: The Impact of Sponsorship on the Equality Rights of Immigrant Women

This report reviews the provisions in Canadian immigration legislation which address family reunification by allowing immigration to Canada through sponsorship by a relative. The report acknowledges a difficulty in balancing the importance of family reunification with protection of women who are potentially vulnerable to abusive spouses. The report reviews the legal framework governing the sponsorship system and assesses the extent to which this framework limits the equality rights of migrant women. The report uses an international human rights framework to assess the impact of this system on women, particularly their vulnerability to violence and violations of their economic and social rights. The report includes recommendations for legislative changes to better protect women's rights. [Descriptors: Migration - Refugees and Immigration, Canada]