When Taryn Whitehead recently needed blood tests, the B.C. resident had to pay for them herself, twice, spending $600 in total.

And every time Whitehead鈥檚 doctor renews her prescription for anti-anxiety medication, the Aldergrove woman has to pay a fee.

鈥淚鈥檝e had to up my dose of my anxiety medication because of all the [stuff] that鈥檚 going on,鈥� a frustrated Whitehead told Black Press.

鈥淚鈥檓 just worried that something could happen and I have to go to hospital,鈥� explained the native of South Africa.

She鈥檚 also been unable to get a drivers鈥� licence.

Whitehead said it鈥檚 because the federal government shut down in-person permanent resident (PR) applications due to COVID, without creating an alternative.

As a result, Whitehead has been unable to undergo a required interview that would allow her to get a new permanent resident card, which she could then use as ID to obtain medical coverage and a driving licence.

READ ALSO:

A notice on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) web page advised any PR applicants already living in Canada that all in-person 鈥渓anding appointments鈥� at offices in Canada have been cancelled until further notice, and warned applications may take 鈥渓onger than usual鈥� to process.

Whitehead has been waiting since January of 2020.

She had an in-person appointment, but it was cancelled.

鈥淭hey won鈥檛 say when they will open the office,鈥� Whitehead said.

She had permanent resident status before, when she was living in Canada from 2000 to 2004, but it expired after she and her family, Canadian-born husband John and their three children, moved to South Africa.

The couple and two of their children returned to Canada just in time for the pandemic to hit, shuttering the IRCC offices.

READ ALSO:

Abbotsford South Liberal MLA Bruce Banman and Langley-Aldergrove Conservative MP Tako van Popta have both made submissions on her behalf to the immigration authorities, to no avail.

鈥淒espite a worldwide pandemic over the last 17 months, communities and governments figured out how to continue supporting their citizens,鈥� van Popta remarked.

鈥淭he fact that all this time later, the federal department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship hasn鈥檛 figured out how to serve permanent residents in Canada is appalling. Ms. Whitehead鈥檚 story is only one of many where people legally entitled to be in Canada cannot get medical coverage, drivers鈥� licences or any Canadian identification. How much longer is it going to take for this government to figure it out?鈥�

The latest word, a July 30 email from IRCC, was that there were no plans at present to reopen the offices.

鈥淚鈥檝e seriously tried everything,鈥� Whitehead said.

鈥淚 just can鈥檛 win with them. I can legally work here, I pay my taxes, I鈥檝e got a SIN number, I鈥檝e got a medical number 鈥� but it鈥檚 not activated, because I don鈥檛 have ID.鈥�

Whitehead is also unable to leave Canada for fear she won鈥檛 be allowed to return, which is why she couldn鈥檛 be present when one of her children was married.

鈥淚 had to miss my daughters wedding in South Africa because I can鈥檛 get in without it [a PR card].鈥�

Langley Advance Times has reached out to IRCC for comment.