Nearly 500,000 applications were added to the backlog of pandemic cases in just 4 months.
19 December 2022
Ottawa— Immigration is vital to Canada’s economy, and our communities, and a significant component of our national identity. Newcomers played a crucial role in our success in building our nation and fighting the pandemic on the front lines. IRCC has lowered wait times and modernized its services.
The Honourable Sean Fraser emphasized the strides. That has been made this year in reducing the backlogs of applications. that have exceeded the IRCC’s service standards in its inventories.
Since August, IRCC has removed nearly 500,000 applications from its total inventory. Additionally, the department has been raising the bar for processing. Nearly twice as many applications—4.8 million—as opposed to 2.5 million—had been processed by the end of November by the IRCC.
The IRCC has digitized applications and hired and trained new staff. Streamlined procedures, and tapped into automation technologies to increase processing efficiency while safeguarding Canadians’ safety and security. This has helped to strengthen our immigration system. The department continues to make strides in processing, resulting in shorter wait times for our clients. And is on track to meet its goal of processing 80% of new applications.
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Increasing Visitors, Students, And Workers In Canada Through A Temporary Residence
Canada is on track to break its own record for the processing of study permits this year. IRCC had processed more than 670,000 study permits as of November 30 this year. Compared to more than 500,000 at the same time last year. As a result of these initiatives, they process the majority of new study permits within the required 60 days.
With nearly 700,000 work permits processed by November 30. In comparison to about 223,000 during the same period in 2019. prior to the pandemic, there were also significant improvements in the processing of work permits.
n order to accommodate the rising demand for visitor visas to Canada, IRCC continues to cut back on backlogs and process visas more quickly. Canada now processes more visitor visa applications each month than it did before the pandemic. Processing of more than 260,000 visitor visas in November alone. In contrast, there were roughly 180,000 applications per month on average in 2019.
Permanent Residence: Enhancing Services And Bringing Partners And Families Back Together
405,000 new permanent residents arrived in Canada in 2021, breaking the previous record of 1913. Canada is still on track to meet its goal of adding more than 431,000 new permanent residents. after another record year in 2022.
To better serve our clients, IRCC has also been updating its services and adding assistance for programmes granting permanent residency. The process for all new applications for spousal sponsorship and Express Entry. within the pre-pandemic service standard of 12 months and 6 months, respectively. Due to IRCC’s reduction of the pandemic backlog of applications for card renewals. by 99%, permanent residents can also anticipate shorter wait times when renewing their permanent resident cards.
Citizenship
With one of the highest naturalization rates in the world. Canada is proud to welcome all immigrants and encourages them. to complete their journey by obtaining Canadian citizenship. Welcoming approximately 251,000 new citizens from April to November. According to the IRCC, setting a record for new Canadian citizens and surpassing the previous fiscal year’s. As a result, more than 70% of citizenship inventory applications currently meet service standards.
Immigration As A Solution To The Labour Shortage
In order to manage the social and economic challenges. Canada embraces immigration as a strategy to assist businesses in finding workers. With the necessary skills in key sectors, like health care, skilled trades, transportation, and technology. The Canadian government is implementing policies to help temporary and permanent immigrants.to Canada reach its full labour market potential.
Granting work permits to all skill levels of temporary foreign workers’ spouses and dependents who are of legal working age. By making it easier for employers to find the workers they require. Extending the eligibility for work permits to family members. who are travelling to Canada with the primary applicant will help address the labour shortage.
The restriction that only eligible post-secondary students may work 20 hours per week .while classes are in session will temporarily be lifted. This temporary change recognises the significant contribution. that more than 640,000 international students already studying in Canada. can make to meet our labour needs while also pursuing their academic goals.
Putting into action measures to give foreign nationals with post-graduation work permits that have expired or will expire between September 20, 2021, and December 31, 2022, the chance to continue working in Canada for an additional 18 months by either extending their work permits or applying for new ones.
Paving the way for the creation of economic routes that refugees and their families can take in addition to the conventional resettlement process in order to find a safe and long-term solution. The Canadian Economic Mobility
Pathways Pilot was expanded to include skilled refugees. Thanks to additional funding from IRCC. And it is now rolling out a new, more flexible application process with reliable partners. to make it simpler for qualified candidates to apply.
Reducing the 20-month wait time for Canadian asylum seekers to receive a work permit to one month.
