Processing times for Family Class Permanent Resident Applications are too long!!!

Despite stating that reunification of families is a priority for immigration, the current application processing times for spouses in and outside Canada have significantly increased to the point where some are waiting many years for their applications to be processed.  The current processing times put many families in limbo which not only decreases the contribution to Canada's economy and community well-being, it extracts a huge emotional toll on the families themselves.  Strong families make a strong economy.  When the economy weakens, strong families can help and support each other, reducing the burden and cost to the Canadian social safety net.

Processing updates are vague and bear little helpful information to re-assure those who have applied that their application process is progressing. Communication on the progress of application processing as well as the responsiveness of CIC needs improvement.  Better communication to those applying from outside of Canada would actually reduce the number of inquiries to MPs, the CIC call centre and to overseas visa offices.  More resources need to be allocated to the processing of family class applications. The resources also need to be balanced so that some offices are not overwhelmed thus causing application processing times to be so great that it is ripping families apart.

The processing times for Family Class sponsorship applications are posted on the CIC website http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/perm/fc-spouses.asp and understandable there are various factors that can affect these times. Processing times greater than 12 months are unreasonable.  Canada is losing out on the economic and community contribution of spouses who are waiting overseas for more than 12 months for their Permanent Residence Application to be processed.  This is also affecting the productivity of Canadians who are anxiously awaiting to be re-united with their loved ones or staying with their spouses outside of Canada in limbo, in their ability to focus on their lives, families, and career in Canada.

During the week of Aug 23, 2015, the Family Class processing times posted jumped dramatically (some even saying statistically impossible). Abu Dhabi Visa Office went from 13 months to 19 months. Ankara went from 11 months to 26 months. Beirut went from 16 months to 64 months!! 

 CIC has developed some fantastic tools (online application for temporary residence visa) but more work needs to be developed to apply these tools (or similar) to PRV applications.  The current CIC ECAS (Electronic Client Application System) is updated inconsistently between visa offices and the application progress information provided is too vague.

In particular, those spouses who are outside of Canada (outland applications) are separated from their loved ones, are not contributing to the Canadian economy and in some cases cannot even obtain a temporary residence visa (TRV) to visit their sponsor / family in Canada during the long wait.

 Therefore, 

We are requesting that the government of Canada and Citizenship and Immigration Canada:

1.       Get back to the priority of reuniting families within 6 – 12 months.  Apply the necessary resources to make it happen. 

2.       Review the procedures for processing applicants and update the manuals accordingly. There appear to be many challenges in the logistics of handling applications and communicating progress from overseas visa offices. Ensure consistency is applied across the globe with respect to processing / communication of progress. 

3.       Take advantage of the great tools already developed (the TRV online process) to provide more consistent, timely information to those whose applications are in process (which would also reduce the number of inquiries to MP’s, the CIC call centre, and visa offices overseas, leaving more time to actually process the applications.

4.       Ensure that every application sent overseas is provided with a confirmation from the VO overseas upon the arrival of their application, regardless of whether it has been opened or not.  

5.       Ensure that those who are waiting for their applications to be processed are provided with updates not only on a process basis, but a time basis (at scheduled intervals).  Send monthly messages saying, “we are continuing to process your application, no new information is requested at this time” would greatly ease the minds of those waiting and reduce the number of inquiries.

6.       Change the policies so that spouses can obtain TRV more easily. Trust them when they apply for a TRV and say that they will leave Canada at the end of the visit so that we can at least introduce our families, our friends, and our country to our loved ones.  The benefits greatly outweigh the risks and will help to increase Canada’s productivity. Why would someone jeopardize their application by becoming out of status in Canada?

7.       Improve the online Case Specific Inquiry system so that: larger files can be uploaded (2 MB), the total uploaded is increased (to 10 MB), and that the automatic email confirmation provided includes the details of the inquiry (date, time, name, VO, UCI / file number, text entered, list of attached files) and most importantly, a reference number.  The general inquiry system already has this type of confirmation.  I was shocked that the case specific (which is the ONLY way that those overseas can communicate with CIC) confirmation is simply a generic message with no details allowing one to reference it in the future.

8.       Provide a public quarterly report that reflects various metrics on the results of CIC for the processing of Family Class applications such as processing times, breakdown of applicants by citizenship and country of residence, VO performance statistics, etc. (Note if one is already provided please provide me with the link)

We hope that these suggestions are received with the good intention that they are sent. Thank you for your time and consideration. We look forward to your response.