Our ServicesCanada as a nation has always been a top destination of any foreign national’s mind when it comes to migration. Over the years, Canada has warmly welcomed thousands of immigrants. Immigration has been a crucial factor in bolstering the nation’s economy and making the nation a melting pot of cultures.
Not long ago, Canada’s immigration system faced a significant backlog of applications and processing delays, creating frustration and uncertainty among applicants. The primary reason was the submission of a large number of applications every year. The backlog of applications is not a new problem for Canada’s immigration system. The immigration system struggled to keep up with the high demand for immigration services, leading to long wait times and delayed processing of applications.
The good news, however, is that things have changed drastically and for good. Despite a large number of immigrants moving to Canada every year, the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) were hard at work and managed to reduce their enormous inventory of applications to a little over 2.2 million in early December 2022 from more than 2.5 million in September 2022. Let’s uncover some more details in this blog post.
What led to the change?
The COVID-19 pandemic has had some serious ramifications on Canada’s immigration system. Not only was there a reduction in staff and services, but also temporary closure of visa offices and other processing centers. In addition to border closures and travel restrictions, the pandemic has forced the IRCC to prioritize processing certain applications over others, increasing processing times for some applications. Besides, millions of applications get submitted each year, which becomes difficult to process with a limited capacity.
To ensure smooth facilitation of application processing and tackle the issue of processing delays, the Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, on August 24, 2022, pointed out IRCC’s plan to strengthen Canada’s immigration system and reduce application backlogs, with a focus on addressing labour shortages, improving client experience, and reuniting families.
How was the issue dealt with?
In order to achieve their target and ensure the reduction of backlogs of applications, the IRCC hired 1,250 more employees on board during the autumn months. This was a strategic move that paid dividends.
Also, to strengthen the immigration system, IRCC has digitized applications, hired and trained the new employees that came on board, streamlined processes, and harnessed automation technologies to increase processing efficiency while protecting the safety and security of Canadians.
What do these numbers look like?
According to the latest data from IRCC, the number of citizenship applications in their inventory has decreased by nearly 18%, or 72,738 applications, from 387,368 in mid-July to 314,630 at the end of November 2022.
From mid-July to the beginning of October 2022, permanent residency applications decreased by approximately 1.7%.
Recently, there has been a slight increase in the inventory of applications, and it now stands at 512,342 applications, which is only a fraction of a percent lower than the 514,116 in mid-July.
The largest change in the inventory of applications at IRCC is for temporary visas, which include study and work permits. Over the course of two months, the number of applications for temporary permits has decreased by almost 14.3%, from 1,651,649 in early October to 1,416,125 in early December.
With the immigration situation taking good shape, this is a great time to consider moving to Canada. With years of experience and a team of experts, we are dedicated to ensuring that you have a smooth and successful immigration journey. Whether you’re applying for permanent residency, citizenship, or a temporary visa, we have the knowledge and expertise to guide you.
With our focus on exceptional client service, you can trust that you will receive personalized attention and tailored solutions that meet your unique needs. Contact us to schedule a consultation and take the first step towards your dream of living and working in Canada.
