New U.S. green card policy could impact Canadians seeking permanent residency: lawyer

A Canadian immigration lawyer says a new U.S. policy requiring most foreigners to apply for green cards from their home countries may cause long waits and complications for Canadians living in the U.S. seeking permanent residency.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced Friday that foreigners living in the States on temporary visas, such as students, temporary workers or visitors, must go through consular services in their home countries to apply, with some exceptions.

USCIS spokesperson Zach Kahler says the policy aims for the immigration system “to function as the law intended instead of incentivizing loopholes.”

Joel Guberman, a lawyer and partner at Toronto-based immigration firm Guberman Appleby, says the policy came “out of left field” and it’s not clear what exceptions could be made to the new regulation.