Canada Likely to Process Pending Visa Applications by End of 2022

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said that they hope to complete the massive backlog of visa applications, which totals 2.7 million applicants by the end of 2022.

The backlog has also caused applicants from all over the world to face delays in obtaining visas.

The maple country’s administration has taken measures to solve the delay in granting visas to applicants. They have prioritized student visas because university semesters are about to begin. More than 230,000 Indian students are enrolled in post-secondary institutions in Canada.

Cameron MacKay, Canada’s high commissioner to India, on Wednesday, said that the country hopes to resume normal visa processing times by the end of 2022. “We process roughly 10,000 visas a week for Indian nationals and that is not fast enough,” he added.

In comparison to the number of visa applications Canada received in 2019, there was a dramatic increase of 55% in 2022. Experts cited the pandemic for the sudden surge in visa applications, which also contributed to the backlog.

It has been made clear that applications for student, tourist, business, and work permits as well as a permanent residence in Canada are all topped by Indian nationals.

Also Read: VFS Global Issues Important Updates For Canada Visa Customers In India

Canada Visa Processing Times

For Canada Visa, the current processing time for a temporary resident visa has increased from 12 to 15 weeks to 129 days. But last month, the waiting period hit a record high of 158 days.

According to the official website of the Government of Canada, this processing time shows how long it has historically taken us to process the majority of complete applications, your application might be returned or delayed if it is incomplete.

Your application’s processing time starts when the Embassy receives it in its entirety and ends when a decision is made. Depending on how many applications are submitted, it might change.

It is worth noting that the processing time does not include.

• the time it takes to send an application between a visa application centre and our office.
• the time you need to give your biometrics.

6th Round of Canada’s Express Entry Draws

According to Canada’s immigration minister, Sean Fraser, the country is on track to exceed its immigration goal of granting permanent residency to more than 430,000 people by 2022. On September 14, Canada held its sixth draw, issuing 3,250 invitations to apply for an Express Entry visa. On July 6, this year, Canada resumed their all-program draws for immigration.

According to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the minimum cut-off Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score was 510.