In a Le Journal De Montreal article, Mr. Jain noted the significant strain on Canada’s immigration system, particularly the humanitarian categories, which include individuals such as the “guardian angels” from Quebec, many of whom are asylum seekers from countries like Haiti, and Ukrainians fleeing the ongoing war with Russia. These applicants, who played critical roles in Canada’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic or fled war-torn countries, have seen their permanent residency applications trapped in a massive backlog. As of May 2024, Immigration Canada reported that over 73,000 individuals were waiting for processing in these priority categories. This number has only continued to rise, as new applications continue to flood in, leaving many individuals and families in legal limbo.
Mr. Jain, along with other immigration experts, expressed frustration with the federal government’s inability to address the mounting delays, with processing times for applicants from countries like India reaching up to 31 months, and even longer for those outside of Canada. He pointed out that these delays are particularly concerning given Canada’s humanitarian commitments, as individuals who are relying on these applications to secure their status in Canada face the threat of becoming undocumented. Furthermore, Mr. Jain emphasized the urgency of systemic reform to prevent further erosion of public trust in Canada’s immigration system, especially as the backlog continues to balloon, potentially taking up to seven years to clear. Read the whole article here.
