The processing times for Canadian immigration applications have soared to unprecedented lengths, with some permanent residency programs facing delays of up to 50 years. This development has left applicants and legal practitioners astonished, deeming the system unworkable.
Olha Kushko, who relocated to Ottawa in 2023 after fleeing Kyiv under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET), expressed disbelief at the extensive waiting periods. Families applying for permanent residence under Canada’s humanitarian and compassionate stream now encounter wait times ranging from 12 to 600 months, as disclosed in the new immigration minister’s May 2025 “transition binder.”
Similar prolonged waits are evident in other economic immigration programs:
– Caregivers pathway: up to 108 months (nine years).
– Agri-food stream: up to 228 months (19 years).
– Entrepreneurs under the startup visa stream: up to 420 months (35 years).
Legal professionals have raised concerns over these unprecedented processing times released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), fearing potential mass application cancellations if the government enacts stringent border security bills. Minister Lena Metlege Diab’s office declined to speculate on future policy decisions when questioned about this possibility.
Kushko, who applied under the humanitarian and compassionate program in June, faces an estimated wait time of over 10 years according to the IRCC’s online processing time checker. Initially expecting a two-year wait, Kushko now grapples with uncertainty, particularly given her son’s attachment to their current home in Ottawa.
Furthermore, applicants under the humanitarian stream, including a group from Hong Kong Pathway Alliance residing in Canada, express concerns over extended processing times and potential implications on their lives. Legal experts demand transparency from IRCC, emphasizing the need for clarity amidst the growing uncertainty surrounding immigration processing timelines.
The government’s stance on the prolonged processing times remains firm, with officials defending the transparency in sharing these figures. IRCC attributes the extended wait times to the number of applications received and adjustments in admission targets. Amidst these challenges, the prospect of Canada deviating from its humanitarian principles and the impact on applicants’ lives looms large, prompting calls for urgent resolution and clarity from the authorities.
