Canada starts clearing visa backlog, to process applications by 2022-end

The Canadian immigration authorities have said they are hoping to clear the massive backlog of 2.7 million visa applications by the end of this year. The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said that the backlog has led to delays in seeking visas for applicants from all over the world. 

The nation's administration has taken steps to amend the delay in granting visa applications as authorities have prioritised student visas with university terms starting soon. 

Canada's High Commissioner to India, Cameron MacKay said that the nation hopes to get back to normal processing times by end of 2022 despite the unprecedented surge. He added, “We process roughly 10,000 visas a week for Indian nationals and that is not fast enough."

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Indians are number one applicants for Canadian visas, including student, tourist, and business, as well as work permits and permanent residence applications. This year, over 230,000 Indian students have enrolled in post-secondary institutions in Canada. 

This year, Canada saw a surge of 55 per cent in visa applications as compared to applications received in 2019. 

According to Canadian Immigration Minister Sean Fraser, Canada will exceed its immigration goal of granting permanent residency to more than 430,000 people this year. 

The Justin Trudeau-led nation resumed its all-programme draws for immigration on July 6 and on September 14, it conducted the sixth draw issuing 3,250 invitations to apply for an 'Express Entry' visa. 

According to a recent report, Canada will soon stop following Covid vaccine mandates for visitors.