Q. I wish to have my spouse come to Canada to visit me. I would like to apply for a Minister’s permit for her. How do I go about that?

Answer: The Minister’s Permit does not exist since the implementation of the new laws and regulations in June of 2003. These provisions have been replaced by the Temporary Resident Permit, which has the same ability to admit a visitor to Canada who is otherwise considered inadmissible.

There is no application process for a Temporary Resident Permit. The decision to grant one is solely up to an immigration official’s discretion, and is made in the context of a standard temporary resident application. It costs an additional CAD$200 if granted. Award of such is generally issued in the case of medical or criminal inadmissibility.