{"id":99,"date":"2022-02-16T14:04:36","date_gmt":"2022-02-16T14:04:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/backup.aosacademy.com\/ircc-reduces-canada-immigration-backlog-with-good-news\/"},"modified":"2022-02-16T14:04:36","modified_gmt":"2022-02-16T14:04:36","slug":"ircc-reduces-canada-immigration-backlog-with-good-news","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/backup.aosacademy.com\/?page_id=99","title":{"rendered":"IRCC Reduces Canada Immigration Backlog (with Good News)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Late last month, we got a situation update about Immigration and permanent residency (PR) application from our links in Canada stating that the ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has started working rigorously in processing past PR applications within this quarter of the year. Early this month, we received good news from two of our 2021 clients who said that they have been requested to go for their medicals. And, just last weekend, one of my own family members informed me that he has been instructed to submit his international passport for his confirmation of permanent residency (COPR). If you are knowledgeable of the PR processing, you would know that getting such commands from IRCC only means that their applications have been approved<\/a> and they should expect to move to Canada within few weeks or 1 month at most from now…<\/p>\n

Late last month, we got a situation update about Immigration and permanent residency (PR) application from our links in Canada stating that the ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has started working rigorously in processing past PR applications within this quarter of the year. Early this month, we received good news from two of our 2021 clients who said that they have been requested to go for their medicals. And, just last weekend, one of my own family members informed me that he has been instructed to submit his international passport for his confirmation of permanent residency (COPR). If you are knowledgeable of the PR processing, you would know that getting such commands from IRCC only means that their applications have been approved and they should expect to move to Canada within few weeks or 1 month at most from now.
\nIRCC Processes FSWP Applications Faster
\nThe permanent residence, study permit, and citizenship inventory have improved in recent months. Compared to the 1 per cent growth observed between October and December, the backlog appears to be slowing down.\u00a0The permanent residence inventory has decreased by 29,165 applications since October. Most of the improvement has come under the economic class, which has seen a decrease of over 25,000 persons in inventory, followed by the family class, which has experienced a decrease of over 9,200 persons in the backlog. If we only focus on progress made since December, we see the immigration backlog has decreased by 6,240 persons. The economic class has seen a drop in the inventory of nearly 4,200 persons since December while the family class has inventory has dropped by nearly 3,100 persons.
\nIRCC Processes 800 FSWP Applications Weekly
\nIRCC is beginning to process\u00a0Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)\u00a0applications at a higher rate. In early December,\u00a0IRCC was finalizing an average of 600 applications per month. This is notable because the FSWP has been Canada\u2019s main skilled worker immigration program since 1967 and as of June 2021, Canada had lifted travel restrictions on all immigrants, giving IRCC an added incentive in theory to begin to process more FSWP applications. The reason, however, IRCC was processing such a small number of FSWP applications per month last year was so it could focus on landing as many in-Canada applicants as possible in support of its goal to land\u00a0401,000 immigrants\u00a0in 2021. The newest data now shows that IRCC is beginning to prioritize more FSWP applications as the FSWP inventory has fallen by nearly 4,800 persons since December. This means over the past six weeks, IRCC has been processing an average of 800 FSWP applications per week, compared with its average of just 150 per week throughout most of 2021. What may also give FSWP applicants more hope is that IRCC processing tends to slow in December due to the winter holidays. This suggests IRCC should be in better position to continue processing a higher rate of FSWP applications throughout 2022.CEC Backlog and Improvements
\nThe backlog of\u00a0Canadian Experience Class (CEC)\u00a0applications is also down significantly which should not come as a surprise. It consisted of 48,225 persons in October and then fell to 24,675 persons in December. It now stands at about 15,100 persons which is a decline of over 9,500 persons since December. This suggests that IRCC will erase the CEC inventory within the coming months. The low inventory of CEC applicants is a function of IRCC prioritizing their applications in 2021 to support its achievement of its\u00a0401,000 newcomer target. In addition, IRCC has temporarily paused Express Entry invitations to CEC candidates since September so it can reduce its inventory and improve its processing times for Express Entry applicants. Minister Sean Fraser\u00a0has repeatedly stressed the pause in Express Entry invitations to both CEC and FSWP candidates (which has existed since December 2020)\u00a0is temporary\u00a0and that invitations to them will resume once IRCC is more comfortable with the size of its inventory.
\nPNP & Caregiver Programs
\nIt is worth noting the primary sources of inventory growth among economic class applicants since December have come through the\u00a0Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)\u00a0and Caregiver Program. The PNP inventory growth can be explained by both IRCC and the provinces and territories continuing to issue\u00a0invitations to PNP\u00a0candidates throughout the pandemic to support the economic needs of Canada\u2019s regions. Express Entry invitations to PNP candidates continue to happen on a\u00a0bi-weekly basis, usually on\u00a0Wednesday, while the provinces continue to hold PNP draws in regular intervals, ranging from each week, to several times a month, to once every few months, depending on the province. The growth in the\u00a0Caregiver Program\u00a0inventory can be explained by the reopening of two IRCC Caregiver pilot streams in January. The two streams accept up to 2,750 applications each and given their popularity, tend to fill up shortly after IRCC reopens the streams at the start of each year.Family Class Reduces 9,200 Applications
\nThe inventory of\u00a0family class\u00a0applications is down by over 9,200 persons since October. Much of the decrease has come through the\u00a0Parents and Grandparents Program. In recent years, IRCC has held a PGP lottery and then given invitees a window to submit completed PGP applications. IRCC then spends the remainder of the year processing the applications, before opening a new intake. Details on the\u00a0PGP 2022\u00a0are not yet available, but we do know IRCC\u2019s goal is to land 23,500 immigrants under the PGP in 2022. There has been a slight decrease in the\u00a0spouses, partners, and children\u00a0inventory, with it declining by nearly 1,700 persons since October. One explanation as to why it is more challenging for IRCC to reduce this inventory is it continues to accept applications on a rolling basis. IRCC says\u00a0its processing standard for new spousal applications has returned to the service standard of 12 months processing and in addition, it has recently introduced a\u00a0new portal\u00a0to allow spousal and children sponsors and applicants to review the progress of applications.
\nAlmost TR 73,000 Applications Reduced
\nThe\u00a0study permit\u00a0inventory has declined by over 9,600 persons since October but the overall temporary residence (TR) inventory is up by nearly 73,000 persons over the same period. The increase can be also be largely explained by the fact IRCC continues to accept temporary residence applications on a rolling basis. Demand for various temporary residence categories has increased throughout the pandemic. For instance, demand for work permits is strong due to reasons such as Canada\u2019s worker shortages, the large number of\u00a0international students\u00a0transitioning to\u00a0Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWP), and existing work permit holders seeking extensions on their status in Canada. One major change in recent months is the temporary pause in CEC invitations is resulting in more CEC hopefuls looking to extend their temporary stay in Canada until they can submit an immigration application.More Favorable TR Policies
\nOverall, Canada has offered more temporary residence policies amid the pandemic to allow those in Canada to remain in legal status so they can apply for permanent residence, contribute to the economy, and avoid potential hardship of travelling back home during the pandemic. The improvement in the study permit inventory may be explained by January being among the busiest periods of the year for new international students to arrive to Canada in time for the start of the winter academic session. Among the most notable changes since December are the increases in persons submitting\u00a0Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), work permit, and extension applications. One potential explanation for the rise in TRV applications is that Canada lifted travel restrictions on all tourists as of\u00a0September 2021.\u00a0As noted, the rise in work permit and extension applications can be explained largely by a combination of Canada\u2019s\u00a0tighter labour market\u00a0and the increase in temporary residents in Canada during the pandemic.
\n20,000 Reduced Citizenship Backlog
\nIRCC reported the backlog for\u00a0citizenship\u00a0applicants was standing at about 448,000 on December 31, 2021. On\u00a0October 31\u00a0of last year, there were around 468,000 citizenship applications in the inventory. In 61 days, the citizenship decreased by 20,000 applicants. A spokesperson from IRCC said in all of 2021, Canada processed more than 206,000 citizenship applications. Compared to 2020 when IRCC processed 80,000 citizenship applications.IRCC\u2019s Major Efforts & Client Experience
\nOn January 31, Minister Fraser announced that Canada is planning to make\u00a0147,000 permanent residence final decisions\u00a0in the first quarter of 2022\u2014double that from the same period in 2021. Fraser also said IRCC\u2019s\u00a0$85 million\u00a0budget\u00a0will allow processing service standards to return to normal for study permits, work permits, and permanent resident card renewals by the end of the year. IRCC has hired about 500 new processing staff, digitized applications, and reallocated work among IRCC offices around the world. Since public health measures reduced in-person services, IRCC has brought some paper-based immigration programs online. The Minister has announced Canada\u2019s new\u00a0Immigration Levels Plan 2022-2024. This will give us a greater sense of which permanent residence applications IRCC will prioritize moving forward.
\nOur Commitments @ A.O.S
\nIt has been our own mantra for over 3 years now to assist in the little way we can to help process the applications of our clients come rain come shine and we will do just that now more than ever. If you would like us to assist you in your immigration process to move your family to Canada, contact us now and let\u2019s start your processing to relocate to Canada within 6 months or less. All you need is just to register and let\u2019s pre-evaluate you and your family to see the best programs you can apply under, the list of steps to be taken and the costs to be incurred in all. We now operate fully online just like IRCC, so we can work with you and your family more effectively from the social media platforms you use daily. Speak to our migration experts now!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Late last month, we got a situation update about Immigration and permanent residency (PR) application from our links in Canada stating that the ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has started working rigorously in processing past PR applications within this quarter of the year. Early this month, we received good news from two of our 2021 clients who said that they have been requested to go for their medicals. And, just last weekend, one of my own family members informed me that he has been instructed to submit his international passport for his confirmation of permanent residency (COPR). If you are knowledgeable of the PR processing, you would know that getting such commands from IRCC only means that their applications have been approved<\/a> and they should expect to move to Canada within few weeks or 1 month at most from now…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":28,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-99","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/backup.aosacademy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/99","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/backup.aosacademy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/backup.aosacademy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/backup.aosacademy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/backup.aosacademy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=99"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/backup.aosacademy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/99\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/backup.aosacademy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=99"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}