The Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration (CIMM) released a report, Promoting Fairness in Canada Immigration Decisions, where the Committee investigated visa outcomes in the immigration system. Upon examination, they found the system systematically and unjustifiably disfavours particular groups based on race and country of origin.
As a result, the Committee makes wide-ranging suggestions to improve the immigration system, which consistently disadvantages some groups depending on race and country of origin.
After hearing from several immigration advocates, lawyers, and settlement agency staff, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration decided to examine the immigration system.
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CIMM’s Key recommendations for the immigration system
IRCC will share their response to the CIMM report and recommendations in a few months. Meanwhile, below are the key recommendations:
- Visa officers should record applicant interviews to prevent miscommunication.
- Ottawa should expand the extraordinary measures already available to Ukrainians, such as the provision allowing for the sponsorship of extended family members to people from other nations and regions experiencing humanitarian crises.
- The Canadian government should establish a separate monitoring body responsible for the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), whose mandate should include dealing with racism and complaints concerning the agency.
- Immediate implementation of an Anti-Racism Quality Assurance process for decisions made by visa officers to investigate the impact of individual bias and systemic racism on decisions and refusal rates at visa offices
- Requesting that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) dedicate more resources to process caregiver permanent residency applications from all streams faster.
As per IRCC, they train all officers to assess all applications equally and use the same criteria regardless of their country of origin. With the upcoming reports, they are looking to examine the impact on racialized applicants and minority community members.
CIMM highlights longer wait times in application processing
According to the Committee’s information, waiting for durations for various refugee groups may differ depending on shifting government priorities and quotas.
A non-denominational charitable group called Remember Ministries’ executive director, Jennifer Miedema informed the Committee that fund allocation tells you where priorities are placed or who are the favoured demographics.
Miedema says that “the uneven distribution of delays equals the uneven distribution of suffering,” adding that even holding out hope for final resettlement could be harmful over a prolonged period of waiting and delay.
Further, she explains the impact on refugees, as their hopes are raised when they submit their applications, but they need to wait for a year or two without any response. As a result, it has a heavy impact on their mental health.
According to the Parliamentary Committee, the government should raise the overall number of refugees it welcomes to Canada during a crisis rather than backtrack on or delay receiving those whose applications are currently on hold.
They also want a complete racial equity assessment of Canada’s immigration and refugee system and to allocate more resources to process and give priority to privately sponsored refugees.
An increasing number of federal appeals
The number of people requesting federal appeals to become new Canadians has increased seven times in the last three years.
The court system is becoming overburdened with these judicial requests to contest allegedly unjust decisions made by visa officers and procedural delays. These applications are a judicial remedy in the immigration context that compels the IRCC to carry out a public legal obligation owed to an applicant.
The recording of candidate interviews has been recommended as a potential solution to help with court-ordered redeterminations of unsuccessful applications. According to Vancouver-based immigration lawyer Victor Ing, IRCC needs to be more transparent and honest with clients to avoid more mandamus applications.
Next, the Committee highlighted the increased wait times in the caregiver program.
The caregiver Program has the longest wait times
The Live-in Caregiver Program saw some of the longest wait times before and after the pandemic. For example, the average time to process caregiver visas in 2020 was about 57 months and two days. While in 2021, the wait time was 68 months plus one day to process applications.
As a result, 15,621 applications were pending or anticipated to be pending in the Home Child-Care Provider Pilot backlog as of December 31, 2021. In addition, there were 1,639 more applications in the Live-in Care Program’s database.
Arlene Ruiz, a licensed and regulated immigration consultant and a recruiter from Alexene Immigration & Employment Services, informed the Committee that many caregivers are from the Philippines. For them, the delays in application processing cause breakdowns in their marriages and children growing out of their dependent status.
Immigration attorney Steven Meurrens also mentions that the IRCC lacks transparency, which adds to the problem. For example, the processing times mentioned on IRCC are inaccurate. Further, the Access to Information Act shows that there have been no caregiver files processed since 2019.
Following this month’s announcement by the federal Minister of Immigration, Sean Fraser, that Canada aims to settle 500,000 new immigrants by 2025, a new report by the Parliament has been released.
The announcement comes after a record-breaking year for immigration to Canada in 2021, when more than 405,000 people arrived. The nation is also dealing with an unprecedented backlog of visa applications, with 2.2 million being processed by IRCC as of this month.
Source: CIMM Report
- Know Canada Weekly Earnings In All The Provinces
On January 26, 2023 – Statistics Canada released latest data for average weekly earnings in Canada. They also released the industry-wise and province-wise weekly earnings data.
Overall average weekly earnings in Canada increased by 4.2% to $1,180.21.
The job openings fell in six provinces, with Newfoundland and Labrador losing the most (-35.3% to 5,500), followed by Manitoba (-26.5% to 20,600), and New Brunswick (-21.8% to 11,500).
Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta had lower proportionate drops, while the number of job openings in the remaining provinces remained stable.
Below listed are the industry-wise and province-wise weekly earnings in Canada and all the provinces.
Industry-Wise Weekly Earnings in Canada
Industry Average Weekly Earning Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction 2362.28 Utilities 2068.42 Professional, scientific and technical services 1634.13 Management of companies and enterprises 1570.68 Information and cultural industries 1567.12 Finance and insurance 1556.47 Public administration 1527.13 Construction 1468.27 Wholesale trade 1413.46 Forestry, logging and support 1376.38 Real estate and rental and leasing 1300.33 Manufacturing 1261.16 Transportation and warehousing 1248.94 Educational services 1171.70 Health care and social assistance 1033.25 Other services (excluding public administration) 993.70 Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services 967.36 Arts, entertainment and recreation 713.90 Retail trade 700.82 Accommodation and food services 469.85 Province-Wise Weekly Earnings in Canada
Province Average Weekly Earnings Nunavut 1579.90 Northwest Territories 1579.40 Yukon 1352.38 Alberta 1277.78 Ontario 1203.64 Newfoundland and Labrador 1178.30 British Columbia 1177.45 Saskatchewan 1149.77 Quebec 1124.11 New Brunswick 1076.99 Manitoba 1076.52 Nova Scotia 1031.80 Prince Edward Island 994.16 Which Canadian province has the highest weekly earnings?
Alberta has the average weekly earnings of $1,277.78 followed by Ontario at $1,203.64, Newfoundland and Labrador at $1,178.30, and British Columbia at $1,177.45.
How much is the weekly earnings in Canada?
Canada has the average weekly earnings of $1,180.21 as per latest data by Statistics Canada released on January 26, 2023.
How much is the weekly earnings in Ontario and British Columbia?
Ontario has the weekly earnings of $1,203.64, while British Columbia has average weekly earnings at $1,177.45
How much is the weekly earnings in Quebec?
Quebec has an average weekly earnings of $1,124.11
Source: Statistics Canada
- New IRCC Temporary Policy For Spousal Open Work Permit Eligibility
Starting on January 30, 2023 – The IRCC will temporarily extend open work permit eligibility to spouses and dependent children of most work permit holders at all skill levels.
As announced, phase 1 of this new temporary policy will now come in effect beginning January 30.
Phase Effective Date Phase 1 – allows family members of employees who come to Canada to apply for an open work visa through the high-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program or the International Mobility Program. January 30, 2023 Phase 2 – Following consultations, the legislation will be expanded to include family members of employees from the low-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. To be decided Phase 3 – Consultation with agricultural partners and stakeholders will be conducted to examine the practical viability of expanding the measure to cover family members of agricultural employees. To be decided Before this temporary policy, spouses were only eligible for a spousal open work permit, if the principal applicant worked in a high-skill occupation, defined under TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3.
However, now spouses will be eligible for open work permit if the principal applicant is working in any occupation under TEER 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5.
IRCC shared eligibility and ineligibility under this new spousal open work permit temporary policy as mentioned below.
Who is eligible?
Spouse, common-law partner, or dependent child of a work permit holder is eligible, if the work permit holder in Canada:
- works in a job of any TEER (Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities) category (0 to 5), or
- have an open work permit such as PGWP (post-graduation work permit holder) at all skill levels, or
- are permanent resident applicant under economic class currently holding a valid work permit
Who is not eligible at this time?
Spouses and dependents of work permit holders in TEER 4 or 5 jobs are not eligible at this time, if the work permit holders are currently working:
- under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program’s (SAWP) low-wage stream; and
- the Temporary Foreign Worker Program’s Agricultural Stream
Children qualify as dependants if they are:
- unmarried or don’t have a common-law partner, and
- less than 22 years of age
Children aged more than 22 years can also qualify as dependants only if they are:
- unable to support themselves financially because of a physical or mental condition, and
- rely on their parents for financially since before they were 22
- Here Are New Updated IRCC Processing Times As Of January 25
IRCC processing tool was updated in 2022 to provide accurate information on average processing times.
This article enlists newly updated IRCC processing times as of January 25, 2023 and comparison with last week’s processing times.
These processing times are provided to offer Canada immigration/visa applicants an estimate of how long their applications may take to process.
In addition, prospective candidates wishing to apply for Canadian immigration/visa can get a sense of what to expect before filing their application.
These processing times are to ensure that Canada immigration/visa applicants get a faint idea of their applications’ processing.
These processing times are meant to give new weekly processing time based on data collected over the past 6 months.
Additionally, the processing time begins when IRCC receives the application and ends when the immigration officer reaches a decision on the application.
IRCC Processing Times for Citizenship & PR cards
Application Type Current Processing Time Change From Last Week Citizenship grant 24 months No Change Citizenship certificate (proof of citizenship) 15 months No Change Resumption of citizenship 34 months No Change Renunciation of Citizenship 15 months No Change Search of citizenship records 16 months No Change New PR card 180 days + 9 days PR card renewals 74 days – 3 days IRCC Processing Time for Family Sponsorship
Application Type Current Processing Time Change From Last Week Spouse or common-law partner living outside Canada 17 months No Change Spouse or common-law partner living inside Canada 13 months No Change Parents or Grandparents PR 38 months No Change According to the most recent official IRCC data, the Canadian immigration backlog stood at 918,300.
Furthermore, 1.055 million applications were still being handled in accordance with IRCC service standards. In total, IRCC was processing around 1.97 million applications as of December 31, 2022.
Processing time for Canadian Passport
Application Type Current Processing Time Change From Last Week In-Canada New Passport (Regular application submitted in person at Service Canada Centre – Passport services) 10 business days No Change In-Canada New Passport (Regular application submitted by mail to Service Canada Centre) 20 business days No Change In-Canda Urgent pick-up By the end of next business day No Change In-Canada Express pick-up 2-9 business days No Change Regular passport application mailed from outside Canada 20 business days No Change Processing time for Economic Class
Application Type Current Processing Time Change From Last Week Canadian Experience Class (CEC) 20 months No Change Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) 30 months No Change Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) 63 months No Change Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) via Express Entry 12 months No Change Non-Express Entry PNP 21 months No Change Quebec Skilled Workers (QSW) 19 months No Change Quebec Business Class 66 months No Change Federal Self-Employed 41 months No Change Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP) 15 months No Change Start-Up Visa 32 months No Change Processing Time for Temporary Residence Application
Application Type Current Processing Time Change From Last Week Visitor visa outside Canada Varies by country
India: 122 Days
Nigeria: 403 Days
United States: 42 Days
Pakistan: 327 Days
Philippines: 92 Days
UAE: 241 Days
Bangladesh: 226 Days
Sri Lanka: 188 Days
United Kingdom: 222 Days– 8 Days for India
+ 56 Days for Nigeria
+ 2 Day for United States
No Change for Pakistan
– 4 Days for Philippines
– 4 Days for UAE
+ 1 Day for Bangladesh
– 2 Days for Sri Lanka
+ 1 Day for UKVisitor visa inside Canada Online: 17 days
Paper-Based: 43 days– 4 Days for online
+ 2 Days for paper-basedParents or Grandparents Super Visa Varies by country
India: 127 Days
Nigeria: 364 Days
United States: 215 Days
Pakistan: 292 Days
Philippines: 155 Days
UAE: 238 Days
Bangladesh: 206 Days
Sri Lanka: 233 Days
United Kingdom: 155 Days– 5 Days for India
+ 136 Days for Nigeria
No Change for United States
+ 15 Days for Pakistan
+ 9 Day for Philippines
+ 2 Days for UAE
+ 4 Days for Bangladesh
+ 5 Days for Sri Lanka
– 2 Days for UKVisitor Extension (Visitor Record) Online: 205 days
Paper-Based: 96 days– 1 Day (Online)
– 44 Days for Paper-BasedStudy Permit Outside Canada 9 Weeks No Change Study Permit Inside Canada 5 Weeks + 1 Week Study Permit Extension Online: 164 Days
Paper-Based: 158 Days– 1 Day (Online)
+ 13 Days (Paper-Based)Work Permit Outside Canada* Varies by country
India: 8 Weeks
Nigeria: 34 Weeks
United States: 10 Weeks
Pakistan: 71 Weeks
Philippines: 11 Weeks
UAE: 48 Weeks
Bangladesh: 31 Weeks
Sri Lanka: 26 Weeks
United Kingdom: 7 WeeksNo Change for India
+ 2 Weeks for Nigeria
+ 2 Weeks for United States
+ 2 Weeks for Pakistan
No Change for Philippines
+ 8 Weeks for UAE
No Change for Bangladesh
– 2 Weeks for Sri Lanka
No Change for UKWork Permit Inside Canada Online: 167 Days
Paper-Based: 60 Days– 2 Days (Online)
– 1 Day (paper-based)International Experience Canada (Current Season) 7 Weeks No Change Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP) 25 Days + 3 Days Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) 5 minutes No Change *Applications for critical occupations are being prioritized. If you are not applying for a job in a critical occupation, your processing time may be longer than shown above.
Source: IRCC
- Canada Immigration Backlog Drops To 918,300
Finally, the Canada immigration backlog drops below 1 million. As per new updated IRCC data, overall backlog has now reduced to 918,300.
Additionally, 1.055 million applications are still being processed within IRCC service standards. This number has increased from 1.02 million since November 30 data.
The backlog has been continuously reducing since September 30, 2022 as follows:
Date Backlog Total Applications
Under ProcessingDecember 31, 2022 918,300 1,973,800 November 30, 2022 1,086,200 2,111,400 October 31, 2022 1,202,790 2,239,700 September 30, 2022 1,322,500 2,610,700 Overall, there were 1.97 million applications that were being processed at IRCC. This data has been updated by IRCC today and is true as of December 31, 2022.
IRCC minister confirmed that backlog data is different from service standard data.
For example, if spousal sponsorship specifies a processing period of 12 months, an application that is being processed within 12 months is “NOT” a backlog. Rather, it will be classified as standard processing.
However, if it surpasses the 12-month service requirement, it is referred to as a backlog.
It should be noted that IRCC’s goal is to complete 80% of applications within service standards. Click here to view the category-wise IRCC service standards.
Application Type Overall Processing Inventory Backlog Within Service Standards Citizenship 301,000 85,000 216,000 Permanent Residence 620,800 361,300 259,500 Temporary Residence 1,052,000 472,000 580,000 Total 1,973,800 918,300 1,055,500 Below are the category-wise Canada Immigration backlog projections by IRCC
1. Federal High Skilled Backlog
Month Backlog (Actual) Backlog (Projected) Jan 22 89% Feb 22 92% Mar 22 98% Apr 22 99% May 22 100% Jun 22 100% Jul 22 99% Aug 22 90% 86% Sep 22 68% 72% Oct 22 45% 59% Nov 22 31% 46% Dec 22 22% 20% Jan 23 – 20% Feb 23 – 20% Mar 23 – 20% 2. Provincial Nominee Program (Express Entry) Backlog
Month Backlog (Actual) Backlog (Projected) Jan 22 56% Feb 22 55% Mar 22 54% Apr 22 51% May 22 47% Jun 22 45% Jul 22 43% Aug 22 42% 39% Sep 22 40% 35% Oct 22 42% 31% Nov 22 42% 28% Dec 22 41% 20% Jan 23 – 40% Feb 23 – 39% Mar 23 – 38% 3. Spouses, Partners and children applications Backlog
Month Backlog (Actual) Backlog (Projected) Jan 22 34% Feb 22 32% Mar 22 30% Apr 22 29% May 22 27% Jun 22 27% Jul 22 26% Aug 22 25% 24% Sep 22 25% 23% Oct 22 24% 22% Nov 22 24% 20% Dec 22 24% 19% Jan 23 – 24% Feb 23 – 24% Mar 23 – 24% 4. Citizenship Backlog
Month Backlog (Actual) Backlog (Projected) Jan 22 46% Feb 22 45% Mar 22 42% Apr 22 40% May 22 39% Jun 22 37% Jul 22 34% Aug 22 31% 31% Sep 22 31% 30% Oct 22 28% 29% Nov 22 27% 27% Dec 22 28% 26% Jan 23 – 26% Feb 23 – 25% Mar 23 – 24% 5. Study Permits Backlog
Month Backlog (Actual) Backlog (Projected) Jan 22 42% Feb 22 34% Mar 22 27% Apr 22 32% May 22 31% Jun 22 30% Jul 22 31% Aug 22 38% 39% Sep 22 31% 42% Oct 22 26% 33% Nov 22 27% 31% Dec 22 33% 33% Jan 23 – 36% Feb 23 – 33% Mar 23 – 23% 6. Work Permits Backlog
**As per IRCC, approximately 73% of work permits applications are from the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel.
Month Backlog (Actual) Backlog (Projected) Jan 22 48% Feb 22 51% Mar 22 29% Apr 22 23% May 22 26% Jun 22 28% Jul 22 28% Aug 22 34% 29% Sep 22 27% 35% Oct 22 23% 49% Nov 22 28% 55% Dec 22 26% 60% Jan 23 – 58% Feb 23 – 47% Mar 23 – 30% 7. Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Visitor Visa Backlog
**As per IRCC, approximately 20% of temporary resident visa or visitor visa applications are from the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel.
Month Backlog (Actual) Backlog (Projected) Jan 22 70% Feb 22 74% Mar 22 55% Apr 22 55% May 22 56% Jun 22 71% Jul 22 67% Aug 22 71% 68% Sep 22 74% 71% Oct 22 74% 70% Nov 22 70% 67% Dec 22 70% 66% Jan 23 – 77% Feb 23 – 76% Mar 23 – 73% Source: IRCC official website
- Express Entry Draw Sent 5,500 New Invites For PR-January 18
Today, second Express Entry Draw of 2023 again invited 5,500 profiles to apply for permanent residency (PR).
Applicants having a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 490 or above received the invitations.
Initial cut off score mentioned on the official website of IRCC was 507 which was incorrect.
IRCC has also updated the correct CRS cut off score on their official website as of now.
So, the CRS cut off score has reduced by only 17 points to 490 as compared to Express Entry draw on January 11, 2023.
Furthermore, number of invites remained same as in the previous draw. This draw came in as a surprise because Express Entry draws are usually held bi-weekly.
This is also one of the reason for drastic drop in CRS cut off score.
Below are the details of today’s All Program Express Entry draw.
- Number of invitations issued: 5,500
- Rank required to be invited to apply: 5,500 or above
- Date and time of round: January 18, 2023 16:13:57 UTC
- CRS score of lowest-ranked candidate invited: 490
- Tie-breaking rule: November 24, 2022 21:14:59 UTC
If more than one candidate has the lowest score, the cut-off is based on the date and time they submitted their Express Entry profiles.
All program Express Entry draws include all the the Express Entry profiles under Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), and Federal Skilled Trades (FSTP).
Additionally, it also consider profiles under any of the aforementioned categories having a provincial nomination.
Next Express Entry draw cut off is also projected to be around 485 as per CRS score distribution of candidates in the Express Entry pool as of January 18, 2023 listed below.
CRS score distribution of candidates in the Express Entry pool as of January 18, 2023
Latest processing time for Express Entry as of January 18
As of January 18, Express Entry processing times increased for all the three categories as listed below:
- Canadian Experience Class – 20 months
- Federal Skilled Worker Program – 30 months
- Federal Skilled Trades Program – 63 months
- Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) via Express Entry – 12 months
Full History of Canada Express Entry Draws since January 2022
Date Immigration program Invitations issued CRS Score Cut-Off January 11, 2023 No Program Specified 5,500 507 November 23, 2022 No Program Specified 4,750 491 November 9, 2022 No Program Specified 4,750 494 October 26, 2022 No Program Specified 4,750 496 October 12, 2022 No Program Specified 4,250 500 September 28, 2022 No Program Specified 3,750 504 September 14, 2022 No Program Specified 3,250 510 August 31, 2022 No Program Specified 2,750 516 August 17, 2022 No Program Specified 2,250 525 August 3, 2022 No Program Specified 2,000 533 July 20, 2022 No Program Specified 1,750 542 July 6, 2022 No Program Specified 1,500 557 June 22, 2022 Provincial Nominee Program 636 752 June 8, 2022 Provincial Nominee Program 932 796 May 25, 2022 Provincial Nominee Program 590 741 May 11, 2022 Provincial Nominee Program 545 753 April 27, 2022 Provincial Nominee Program 829 772 April 13, 2022 Provincial Nominee Program 787 782 March 30, 2022 Provincial Nominee Program 919 785 March 16, 2022 Provincial Nominee Program 924 754 March 2, 2022 Provincial Nominee Program 1,047 761 February 16, 2022 Provincial Nominee Program 1,082 710 February 2, 2022 Provincial Nominee Program 1,070 674 January 19, 2022 Provincial Nominee Program 1,036 745 January 5, 2022 Provincial Nominee Program 392 808 What is Express Entry System?
Express Entry system is the fastest way to get Canadian Permanent Residency (PR). It has processing time of 6 months after submission of documents following the ITA.
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), a points-based methodology, is used by Express Entry to rate applicant profiles. The highest-scoring applicants are given an Invitation to Apply (ITA), after which they can submit an application for permanent residence.
The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) all use Express Entry as their application management system (FSTP).
Candidates for the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) who are in the Express Entry pool are already qualified for at least one of these programmes.
- Check Out Latest IRCC Processing Times As Of January 18
IRCC processing tool was updated in 2022 to provide accurate information on average processing times.
This article enlists newly updated IRCC processing times as of January 18, 2023 and comparison with last week’s processing times.
These processing times are provided to offer Canada immigration/visa applicants an estimate of how long their applications may take to process.
In addition, prospective candidates wishing to apply for Canadian immigration/visa can get a sense of what to expect before filing their application.
These processing times are to ensure that Canada immigration/visa applicants get a faint idea of their applications’ processing.
These processing times are meant to give new weekly processing time based on data collected over the past 6 months.
Additionally, the processing time begins when IRCC receives the application and ends when the immigration officer reaches a decision on the application.
IRCC Processing Times for Citizenship & PR cards
Application Type Current Processing Time Change From Last Week Citizenship grant 24 months No Change Citizenship certificate (proof of citizenship) 15 months No Change Resumption of citizenship 34 months No Change Renunciation of Citizenship 15 months No Change Search of citizenship records 16 months No Change New PR card 171 days + 51 days PR card renewals 77 days No Change IRCC Processing Time for Family Sponsorship
Application Type Current Processing Time Change From Last Week Spouse or common-law partner living outside Canada 17 months No Change Spouse or common-law partner living inside Canada 13 months No Change Parents or Grandparents PR 38 months No Change According to the most recent official IRCC data, the Canadian immigration backlog stood at 1.09 million.
Furthermore, 1.02 million applications were still being handled in accordance with IRCC service standards. In total, IRCC was processing around 2.1 million applications as of November 30, 2022.
Processing time for Canadian Passport
Application Type Current Processing Time Change From Last Week In-Canada New Passport (Regular application submitted in person at Service Canada Centre – Passport services) 10 business days No Change In-Canada New Passport (Regular application submitted by mail to Service Canada Centre) 20 business days No Change In-Canda Urgent pick-up By the end of next business day No Change In-Canada Express pick-up 2-9 business days No Change Regular passport application mailed from outside Canada 20 business days No Change Processing time for Economic Class
Application Type Current Processing Time Change From Last Week Canadian Experience Class (CEC) 20 months No Change Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) 30 months No Change Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) 63 months No Change Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) via Express Entry 12 months No Change Non-Express Entry PNP 21 months No Change Quebec Skilled Workers (QSW) 19 months No Change Quebec Business Class 66 months No Change Federal Self-Employed 41 months No Change Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP) 15 months No Change Start-Up Visa 32 months No Change Processing Time for Temporary Residence Application
Application Type Current Processing Time Change From Last Week Visitor visa outside Canada Varies by country
India: 130 Days
Nigeria: 347 Days
United States: 40 Days
Pakistan: 327 Days
Philippines: 96 Days
UAE: 245 Days
Bangladesh: 225 Days
Sri Lanka: 190 Days
United Kingdom: 221 Days– 7 Days for India
+ 83 Days for Nigeria
– 1 Day for United States
+ 1 Day for Pakistan
+ 6 Days for Philippines
+ 9 Days for UAE
+ 3 Day for Bangladesh
+ 43 Days for Sri Lanka
+ 3 Day for UKVisitor visa inside Canada Online: 21 days
Paper-Based: 41 days– 2 Days for online
– 6 Days for paper-basedParents or Grandparents Super Visa Varies by country
India: 132 Days
Nigeria: 228 Days
United States: 215 Days
Pakistan: 277 Days
Philippines: 146 Days
UAE: 236 Days
Bangladesh: 202 Days
Sri Lanka: 228 Days
United Kingdom: 157 Days– 4 Days for India
+ 6 Days for Nigeria
– 17 Days for United States
+ 17 Days for Pakistan
+ 1 Day for Philippines
No Change for UAE
No Change for Bangladesh
+ 1 Day for Sri Lanka
– 6 Days for UKVisitor Extension (Visitor Record) Online: 206 days
Paper-Based: 140 days+ 6 Days (Online)
– 29 Days for Paper-BasedStudy Permit Outside Canada 9 Weeks No Change Study Permit Inside Canada 4 Weeks No Change Study Permit Extension Online: 165 Days
Paper-Based: 145 Days+ 24 Days (Online)
+ 29 Days (Paper-Based)Work Permit Outside Canada* Varies by country
India: 8 Weeks
Nigeria: 32 Weeks
United States: 8 Weeks
Pakistan: 69 Weeks
Philippines: 11 Weeks
UAE: 40 Weeks
Bangladesh: 31 Weeks
Sri Lanka: 28 Weeks
United Kingdom: 7 Weeks– 1 Week for India
– 5 Weeks for Nigeria
No Change for United States
+ 3 Weeks for Pakistan
No Change for Philippines
+ 4 Weeks for UAE
+ 1 Week for Bangladesh
– 4 Weeks for Sri Lanka
– 2 Weeks for UKWork Permit Inside Canada Online: 169 Days
Paper-Based: 61 Days+ 1 Day (Online)
+ 1 Day (paper-based)International Experience Canada (Current Season) 7 Weeks + 1 Week Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP) 22 Days + 1 Day Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) 5 minutes No Change *Applications for critical occupations are being prioritized. If you are not applying for a job in a critical occupation, your processing time may be longer than shown above.
Source: IRCC
- IRCC Considering New Measures To Clear Visitor Visa Backlog
The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is considering “Aggressive Action” to decrease its backlog of visitor visa applications.
This includes waiving certain eligibility requirements for almost half a million visitor visas under processing.
The Globe And Mail obtained an internal IRCC memo from December 2022 which discusses two options to reduce the number of visitor visa applications.
According to the memo, IRCC is concerned that the stockpiling is damaging “public trust” in the department.
By February, IRCC hopes to significantly reduce or eliminate its backlog of visitor visa applications.
Two Options Under Consideration As Per IRCC Memo
- The IRCC would process an estimated 195,000 applications in bulk in the first instance.
- For around 450,000 applications, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser would relax certain eligibility requirements.
Furthermore, according to one of The Globe And Mail sources, immigration authorities will no longer analyze whether visitors have the sufficient funds to stay in Canada.
Also, foreign nationals would not have to prove that they will depart Canada after expiry of their visa.
This will be a temporary stock reduction measure, and the final policy may change from what is recommended in the memo.
The memo also emphasized on the potential of keeping these measures secret and stated that none of the measures would have to be made public.
However, two internal sources within IRCC told The Globe And Mail, that the government had opted for the second option and an announcement could be made within days.
Immigration Minister said at a news conference in December, “We’re actually removing cases from our system faster than they’re coming in, which gives me confidence that we’re getting back on track.”
Advantages & Disadvantages outlined in the memo
On the positive side, it would definitely help in reducing the backlog, resulting in faster processing of incoming files.
However, the memo also indicate that not all applications are “genuine tourists”.
So, this might result in around 8,600 asylum, commonly known as refugee, claims.
According to the memo, India and Nigeria are the two most common suppliers of TRV applications, and both nations are in the top 10 asylum applicants in Canada.
As a result, the rise in applications would subsequently put increased strain on all elements of the refugee system.
Furthermore, IRCC would grant eligibility for people with past denials and “derogatory material,” according to the memo.
According to the two immigration department insiders, this was a rushed move that would result in less “scrutiny” of the applications. They said that the approach had shocked several department employees.
The sources also said that this strategy will be ineffective in eliminating the backlog quickly since immigration officers would still need to complete admissibility checks on applications.
Source: THE GLOBE AND MAIL
- Canada Study Permit – Know How to Address Gaps In Study!
A lot of students want to study overseas because of a prosperous future. And, when we talk about studying abroad, Canada is one of the leading choices for most students.
People who want to study in Canada need a study permit. It lets you study at some of the most prestigious educational institutions in Canada.
There is no age limit for getting a student visa in Canada. However, you need to be accepted into a recognized educational institution.
Sometimes students take a break from studies in their home country, but then decide to pursue higher education.
This could be because of any reason – working, traveling, health or family. And it is okay to do so.
The good news is that having a study gap does not hinder your chance of being accepted into a Canadian college.
However, if you have a study gap, you need to create a timeline in chronological order to explain it. So, you must keep track of all the key dates and events during that time.
You will need this to explain your situation to the officer. Make sure that you have all the required documents that can explain your gap.
Examples of these could be job letters, medical records, or travel tickets.
3 Common reasons for study gaps
There are many reasons why you could have a study gap. Listed below are three common reasons as well as how to deal with them –
Medical Problems
Medical problems are unavoidable. This includes any illness or a serious accident. Taking a break because of them is considered completely legitimate.
Firstly, because it may not be possible for you to do anything during this time. Secondly, you may not be able to travel abroad.
Also, treatment is often more affordable in the home country. You can apply for a permit once your health has returned to normal.
Remember that you need to prove your medical issues by providing a letter from your doctor. You must present the associated health certificates and medical reports to justify the gap.
Working
A lot of you may decide to work for a while after your 12th standard or graduation. And this is perfectly fine. Working can provide you with valuable experience.
This can further help you in your studies. Moreover, some graduate programs in Canada require you to have a certain amount of work experience to be eligible for the program.
To justify this, you need to have proof of your work experience. Payslips and letters of experience can help you do so.
Make sure that the visa officer understands your professional and academic trajectory.
Family issues
Family problem is another unavoidable issue that can cause a study gap. During such emergencies, you often have to drop everything to look after your family.
An example of this may be the death of a close one. Or taking care of an aging family member. This makes it really difficult to concentrate on studying.
Officers know and understand that such things happen. All you need to do is be honest with them. Provide all the information that you can.
If you have any documents that explain the situation like a death certificate, have them ready. Also, you should be prepared to justify how exactly the event disrupted your studies in your application.
- Targeted Express Entry Draws-Know New Categories Proposed By IRCC
Canada immigration will be holding targeted Express Entry draws during 2023, in alignment with Bill C19 and immigration minister’s mandate letter by creating different categories.
IRCC shared their official priority and possible new categories for the Express Entry draws targeting at different categories.
The Immigration Department opened feedback on these new categories until January 8, 2023.
Their goal was to hear public opinion on hearing the perspectives on economic immigration. Specifically, they wanted to know which categories should be prioritized.
These new possible categories shared by IRCC gives us an idea of what we can expect in targeted category based Express Entry draws in 2023.
Good news is that IRCC clearly stated that targeted draws will comprise a portion of overall invitations to apply.
Furthermore, they stated that normal Express Entry draws based on the Comprehensive Ranking System scores and individual programs will still continue.
List of possible new categories for targeted Express Entry Draws
IRCC is developing categories for targeted Express Entry draw focusing on:
- solving chronic labour shortages and planning for the future; and
- encouraging Francophone immigration and economic growth in Francophone minority areas.
1. Selecting candidates based on work experience in a particular occupation or sector
A proposed Express Entry category for selection that involves work experience in specific occupation or sectors having chronic labor shortages.
Between 2019 and 2021, the most popular primary occupations invited to apply for permanent residence through Express Entry were:
- food service supervisors
- administrative assistants
- financial auditors and accountants
- retail sales supervisors
- software engineers and designers
- professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations
- cooks
- computer programmers and interactive media developers
- information systems analysts and consultants
- user support technicians
- restaurant and food service managers
- administrative officers
2. Transitioning international student graduates to permanent residence
A prospective Express Entry category focusing on overseas student graduates might respond more immediately to key shortages that remain across several industries and vocations.
Graduates holding a degree or diploma in in-demand disciplines from a Designated Learning Institution, for example, might fall into this group.
International student graduates are also well-positioned for permanent economic immigration since they are fluent in at least one official language, have Canadian educational credentials, and job experience.
3. Transitioning temporary foreign workers to permanent residence
A category for selection in Express Entry focusing on transferring talented temporary foreign workers, like with international students, might increase response to chronic economic demands.
Temporary employees are strong candidates for permanent residence since they may find work in their industries (i.e., better job-skills match).
Requiring experience in a high-demand profession may alleviate the most pressing shortages.
4. Selecting Francophone and bilingual candidates
IRCC may assist fill ongoing labour shortages in Francophone minority areas by developing a category for Express Entry selection based on fluency in French and expertise in in-demand sectors or vocations.
Increases in the number of French-speaking individuals accepted through Express Entry might boost economic growth in Francophone minority areas.
Source: IRCC
- First Express Entry Draw Of The Year Sent 5,500 New Invites
Today, Express Entry Draw invited 5,500 profiles to apply for permanent residency (PR). Applicants having a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 507 or above received the invitations.
CRS cut off score jumped by 17 points as compared to Express Entry draw on November 23, 2022.
Furthermore, number of invites increased by 750 as compared to the previous draw. This is the 1st all program Express Entry draw this year.
Below are the details of today’s All Program Express Entry draw.
- Number of invitations issued: 5,500
- Rank required to be invited to apply: 5,500 or above
- Date and time of round: January 11, 2023 16:14:19 UTC
- CRS score of lowest-ranked candidate invited: 507
- Tie-breaking rule: December 06, 2022 11:00:07 UTC
If more than one candidate has the lowest score, the cut-off is based on the date and time they submitted their Express Entry profiles.
All program Express Entry draws include all the the Express Entry profiles under Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), and Federal Skilled Trades (FSTP).
Additionally, it also consider profiles under any of the aforementioned categories having a provincial nomination.
Next Express Entry draw cut off is also projected to be above 500 as per CRS score distribution of candidates in the Express Entry pool as of January 11, 2023 listed below.
CRS score distribution of candidates in the Express Entry pool as of January 11, 2023
Latest processing time for Express Entry as of January 10
As of January 10, Express Entry processing times increased for all the three categories as listed below:
- Canadian Experience Class – 20 months
- Federal Skilled Worker Program – 30 months
- Federal Skilled Trades Program – 63 months
- Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) via Express Entry – 12 months
Full List Of Canada Express Entry Draws In 2022
Date Immigration program Invitations issued CRS Score Cut-Off November 23, 2022 No Program Specified 4,750 491 November 9, 2022 No Program Specified 4,750 494 October 26, 2022 No Program Specified 4,750 496 October 12, 2022 No Program Specified 4,250 500 September 28, 2022 No Program Specified 3,750 504 September 14, 2022 No Program Specified 3,250 510 August 31, 2022 No Program Specified 2,750 516 August 17, 2022 No Program Specified 2,250 525 August 3, 2022 No Program Specified 2,000 533 July 20, 2022 No Program Specified 1,750 542 July 6, 2022 No Program Specified 1,500 557 June 22, 2022 Provincial Nominee Program 636 752 June 8, 2022 Provincial Nominee Program 932 796 May 25, 2022 Provincial Nominee Program 590 741 May 11, 2022 Provincial Nominee Program 545 753 April 27, 2022 Provincial Nominee Program 829 772 April 13, 2022 Provincial Nominee Program 787 782 March 30, 2022 Provincial Nominee Program 919 785 March 16, 2022 Provincial Nominee Program 924 754 March 2, 2022 Provincial Nominee Program 1,047 761 February 16, 2022 Provincial Nominee Program 1,082 710 February 2, 2022 Provincial Nominee Program 1,070 674 January 19, 2022 Provincial Nominee Program 1,036 745 January 5, 2022 Provincial Nominee Program 392 808 What is Express Entry System?
Express Entry system is the fastest way to get Canadian Permanent Residency (PR). It has processing time of 6 months after submission of documents following the ITA.
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), a points-based methodology, is used by Express Entry to rate applicant profiles. The highest-scoring applicants are given an Invitation to Apply (ITA), after which they can submit an application for permanent residence.
The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) all use Express Entry as their application management system (FSTP).
Candidates for the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) who are in the Express Entry pool are already qualified for at least one of these programmes.