Processing times for Canadian immigration applications have reached unprecedented lengths, with some permanent residency programs facing delays of up to 50 years. This has left applicants and lawyers in shock, deeming the system unviable.
Olha Kushko, who arrived in Ottawa with her family in 2023 under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel, expressed disbelief at the lengthy processing times. Families applying for permanent residence through Canada’s humanitarian and compassionate stream are facing waits ranging from 12 to 600 months, as reported in the immigration minister’s May 2025 “transition binder.”
Various immigration programs also show significant delays:
– Up to 108 months (nine years) for the caregivers pathway.
– Up to 228 months (19 years) for the agri-food stream.
– Up to 420 months (35 years) for entrepreneurs under the startup visa stream.
These extended processing times, as disclosed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), are unprecedented, leading to concerns among lawyers about potential mass cancellations of applications if the government enforces new border security bills.
Kushko, who applied under the humanitarian and compassionate program in June, expressed worries about the future for her family. The online processing time checker indicates a wait time of “more than 10 years” for applicants under this stream, with a significant number of applicants ahead in the queue.
The prolonged wait times have caused distress among applicants, with concerns rising about the possibility of application cancellations and the impact on their lives. Immigration lawyers are demanding clarity and transparency from IRCC, calling for urgent resolution to the processing delays.
The government, however, maintains that the disclosed numbers are accurate, attributing the delays to the number of applications received and available space relative to the set targets. As admission targets have decreased in the past year, IRCC aims to restore balance to the immigration system through its current measures.
While uncertainties loom over the fate of pending applications, both applicants and legal representatives are closely monitoring developments in immigration policies and processing times.
