Before coming to Canada from Iran in 2020, Hamed Heydarzadeh and his wife Mansooreh Fereidooni sold off their car as well as most of their assets, and paid a private tutor for a year to boost their English proficiency.
Heydarzadeh, 40, and Fereidooni, 35, had decided to leave their country because they opposed the regime.
“We were looking for peace in our life. We had many problems there, especially for my wife in Iran around hijab and other super strict rules,” Heydarzadeh told CBC News.
“We wanted to move to somewhere that we don’t have … to think about these issues that we have in our life.”
Five years and $50,000 later, they are considering leaving, as getting permanent residency (PR) is an uphill battle. If it doesn’t come through, they’ll have to go home, or start from scratch — again — in another country.
For decades, Canada was a top destination for immigrants, seen as a stable and safe place to live with a clear path to permanent residency. But now, many recent newcomers say it’s an expensive and often futile endeavour. CBC spoke with 50 such newcomers from across Canada, who came using varying immigration streams, about their journeys. Most felt that the cost of the Canadian dream doesn’t reflect its value, and they’re deliberating staying — if they even can.
And with the federal government recently tightening immigration policy in response to backlash, that’s set to only become more competitive.
