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October 29, 2023
By Jessica Thakur
In a recent meeting of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration (CIMM), Immigration Minister Marc Miller provided an update on the status of visa processing for Indian nationals, revealing that Canada's Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) had to adjust its expectations due to certain challenges in India. While the initial plan was to process 38,000 visas for Indian applicants by December, the department now anticipates processing only 20,000 visas by the end of 2023.
The primary reason behind this adjustment is a significant reduction in the number of IRCC personnel in India available to handle the on-the-ground work necessary for processing visa applications. Currently, only five IRCC members are actively managing these critical tasks. As a result of this staffing shortage, several implications have emerged:
1. Slower Processing Times: With the reduced workforce, the overall processing times for Indian visa applications are expected to be longer than previously anticipated.
2. Delayed Responses to Inquiries: The decreased number of staff members means that responses to inquiries and requests from applicants may take more time.
3. Extended Visa and Passport Return Times: Visa and passport return times will also be affected by the staffing shortage, causing delays for applicants.
The consequences of these limitations have led to a backlog of approximately 17,500 Indian visa applications expected at the beginning of 2024.
The IRCC's goal is to process 80% of all applications within their established service standards, which can vary depending on the type of application. When an application surpasses these standards, it is categorized as a backlog.
For example, international student visa applications from outside Canada should ideally be processed within 60 days, family-class sponsorship applications within 12 months, and Express Entry applications within six months.
To further complicate matters, IRCC has temporarily suspended all in-person services at consulates in India until further notice. However, they will continue to accept and process applications from Indian nationals. Certain application requirements that were previously addressed in person will now need to be completed locally or on-site in a secure environment.
This temporary pause is a direct result of the reduction in staff due to the expulsion of 41 Canadian diplomats, stemming from ongoing diplomatic tensions between Canada and India. These tensions are linked to a diplomatic issue surrounding the assassination of a prominent Sikh leader in Surrey, British Columbia, last June. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has publicly stated that credible intelligence points to the involvement of Indian government agents in the assassination, a claim firmly refuted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
With regards to the reduction in staff, IRCC notes that the majority of Indian visa applications are already processed outside the country. In fact, approximately 89% of applications from India are managed through the global network.
The Canadian government is actively working to resolve the diplomatic issues with India, and both countries are engaged in ongoing discussions to address the complexities surrounding the assassination and its aftermath. IRCC officials have expressed optimism that by early 2024, visa application processing for Indian nationals will return to a more normalized state, with the 22 immigration staff withdrawn from India expected to resume their duties in Canada and the Philippines.
While the challenges persist, the commitment of both countries to resolving diplomatic issues and streamlining the visa application process for Indian nationals remains a top priority.
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