Farid Abadi is a $48-$year$-$old man who lives in Coquitlam with his wife and two children. He has a good job as a computer technician with a local company, earning $$62,000$ per year. Farid first came to Canada from Syria on a work permit almost $20$ years ago and is now a Canadian Citizen. His wife is an administrative assistant in a dental office.

Farid$$s elderly mother, Umm Hussein, and his $19-$year old sister, Amira, still live in Syria. Since Farid$$s older brother left to live in Copenhagen with his family last year, Umm Hussein and Amira have been living all alone. Umm Hussein is in poor health and suffers from diabetes. Amira has finished high school, but it is unsafe for her to leave the house alone to go to work. The only income they have is the money Farid and his brother send to them every month.

The security situation in the Damascus neighbourhood where Amira and Umm Hussein live is deteriorating due to armed conflict and sectarian violence. There was a car set on fire last week. With the COVID$-19$ pandemic and recent supply$-$chain disruptions, some of the local shops have run out of food.

Farid is desperate to bring his mother and sister to Coquitlam to live with him as soon as possible. He has been asking around the local Syrian community, and some have told Farid that he can buy false Canadian passports on the black market and fly his mother and sister here. They can claim refugee status at the airport.

Others have suggested to Farid that Amira marry a Canadian who can sponsor her to come to Canada. Many Syrians do have arranged marriages. Farid is looking to find someone who is willing to travel to Syria to conduct a marriage in person, as required by immigration. He does not know if this is a good idea, and it has proven very difficult in a pandemic.

Violence against women in war$-$torn Syria is endemic. Are Amira and Umm Hussein persons in need of protection? What does the ILC recommend as being their best option to come to Canada on a path to permanent residence?