China’s zero-COVID lockdowns have been linked to a rare wave of protests across the country in recent weeks, and immigration industry experts say the strict pandemic rules are also fuelling a surge in requests to live in Canada.
Immigration from China has bounced back from pandemic lulls to hit a new peak, according to Canadian government statistics, and immigration consultants report an ongoing surge of inquiries.
地道英文词组：
bounced back from…： 反弹
Vancouver immigration lawyer Ryan Rosenberg, co-founder and partner at Larlee Rosenberg, said COVID restrictions have been a new motivator for potential Chinese immigrants.
“I think that what we are seeing is that COVID lockdowns really shocked people and it caused people to think that maybe China is not a good fit for themselves and for their families.”
地道英文词组：
COVID lockdowns: 疫情封城
Be(不) a good fit for…：（不）适合…
Rosenberg, who has been in the industry for more than 20 years, said the traditional driving forces for Chinese clients considering Canada were better education for their children, cleaner air and a healthier lifestyle.
地道英文词组：
driving forces = motivator
Permanent resident admissions from China hit 9,925 in the July-to-September quarter, online statistics by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada show.
地道英文词组：
hit: 达到 （不只有打的意思哦）
That is more than triple the pandemic low of 2,980 in the same quarter of 2020, and is also up 15 per cent from 8,690 recorded in the third quarter of 2019, before the pandemic hit.
Politics is also a factor, Rosenberg said, citing the consolidation of power with President Xi Jinping, who was recently confirmed for a precedent-breaking third term.
地道英文词组：
precedent-breaking: 史无前例的/破天荒的
“(The) latest extension of Xi’s rule in China has also scared certain people, mostly business owners, and they are wanting to look atCanada as an option for themselves and their family,” said Rosenberg.
地道英文词组：
look at … as: 把…视做…
“There is a strong vibe that we are picking up on people wanting to get out for those reasons more than anything.”
地道英文词组：
picking up on:开始意识到
Tiffany, a Richmond, B.C., immigration consultant who only wanted her first name used for fear of reprisals against her family from China, said many of her clients say China’s zero-COVID strategy made them feel “their freedom and liberties have been stripped away.”
地道英文词组：
stripped freedom/liberties away: 剥夺自由 （也可以用于民主，人权，之类的词）
“Many could sense the pressure that (Chinese) society is shifting, from once being a bit open and relaxed to being strict, prompting them to think of escaping to other countries,” the consultant said in an interview in Mandarin.
Immigration consultant Ken Tin Lok Wong said his firm has also seen an increase in family reunion applications.
“Because of COVID-19, many decided to come here to visit their family members in Canada,” Wong said in an interview in Mandarin.
“After spending some time here, they realized that although they probably could make more money in their hometowns (in China), being close to family members is more important than anything in life.”
地道英文词组：
more important than anything in life=the most important
Rosenberg said the subject of immigration has become so sensitive that his clients in China are reluctant to discuss matters over electronic communication, fearing they might be monitored by the Chinese government.
“It’s coming to the point that the concern is getting in the way of people being able to have meaningful conversations about this in China, and that can somehow limit our ability to do really good work for them,” said Rosenberg.
地道英文词组：
It’s coming to the point: 说到点子上
Get in the way of: 阻挡
China’s embassy in Ottawa did not respond to a request for comment.
The desire to leave China during the pandemic, combined with the caution of speaking about it openly, has sparked a coded term in Chinese online discussions: “run xue,” or run philosophy.
地道英文词组：
combined with：替换and
From: CTV News