To: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), and Members of Parliament

 

📌 Introduction

 

Thousands of immigration applicants to Canada — including skilled workers, international graduates, family members, and refugees — have found themselves trapped in lengthy and opaque security screening processes. In some cases, this stage alone has lasted over two years, with no clear timeline, no progress updates, and no way to appeal or escalate.

 

This systemic delay has left individuals in a state of indefinite limbo, unable to start work, reunite with families, or make meaningful life decisions. The uncertainty has profound impacts on mental health, financial stability, and integration potential.

 

While IRCC is not directly responsible for conducting security screenings — which fall under the authority of CBSA and CSIS — IRCC is the coordinating agency for immigration files and must be accountable for ensuring transparency, communication, and fairness in the process.

 

 ⚖️ The Problem

 

Security screening timelines are undefined, leading to cases pending for 18+ months or even years.
The only available method for applicants to track progress is to file ATIP or GCMS requests, which are often slow, heavily redacted, and uninformative.
There is no clear policy or process for escalating delayed files or prioritizing time-sensitive applications (e.g., expiring work permits, family separation, medical conditions).
IRCC rarely communicates clearly about the cause of delays or the current stage of screening — creating a “black box” system with no accountability.

 

 ✅ What We Are Demanding

 

We recognize the importance of protecting Canada’s national security. However, security screening must be done in a timely, transparent, and accountable manner. We call for the following concrete reforms:

 

1. Establish and Communicate a Maximum Timeframe for Security Screening

 

Applicants deserve to know how long each stage of the process should take. A standard maximum timeframe (e.g., 12 months) for security screening must be published and communicated to all applicants.

 

2. Automatically Prioritize Overdue Cases

 

Files that exceed the standard timeframe should be flagged for immediate review and moved to a priority queue. No one should have to wait indefinitely without explanation.

 

 3. Provide Regular, Proactive Case Updates

 

IRCC must implement a system to provide automatic, periodic status updates to applicants via their online account — including which agency currently holds the file, and whether it is within or beyond normal processing times.

 

4. Improve Transparency and Inter-Agency Accountability

 

As the lead agency for immigration, IRCC must take ownership of the end-to-end communication with applicants, even when files are being screened by CBSA or CSIS. The current siloed structure leads to incomplete answers and buck-passing.

 

🧠 Why This Matters

 

Delays in security screening are not just administrative issues — they undermine confidence in Canada's immigration system and harm real people:

 

Skilled workers lose job offers;
Families remain separated;
Refugees remain in legal limbo; 

 

International graduates are forced to leave Canada due to permit expiry;
Mental health deteriorates under uncertainty.

 

This is not a security necessity — it is a bureaucratic failure.

 

📢 Join Us

 

We, the undersigned, call on IRCC, CBSA, and CSIS to make urgent reforms to ensure:

 

Transparent timelines;
Clear communication;
Prioritization of overdue cases;
A fair, humane, and efficient immigration process.

 

Let’s bring accountability and dignity back to Canada's immigration system.

 

Sign the petition. Share your voice. Demand change.