According to a press conference with Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller on October 19th, 2023, the current conflict between Canada and India will result in processing time delays for Indian visa applications.
Nevertheless, Miller emphasized the vital role played by newcomers from India in Canada, assuring that Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will maintain its welcoming approach.
Why Are Visa Processing Times Slowing for India?
The deceleration in visa application processing is attributed to India’s formal decision to lift immunities for all but 21 Canadian diplomats and their dependents in New Delhi by October 20, 2023. This action places 41 Canadian diplomats and their 42 dependents at risk of losing their immunities.
According to IRCC’s statement, the revocation of diplomatic privileges and immunities contradicts international law and is deemed unreasonable and escalatory. Notably, India had accredited each of the Canadian diplomats they are now expelling, despite their dedicated service for the mutual benefit of both countries. IRCC has underscored that the mass expulsions are the primary cause of the anticipated operational disruptions and impacts on client service.
When Will Visa Processing Times for India Return to Normal?
Regarding the expected backlog and the return to normal visa processing, senior IRCC officials have forecasted a backlog of approximately 17,500 “final decisions” across Canada’s global immigration system over the next two months due to the reduction of staff in India. However, the government aims to restore normal processing by “early 2024.” This goal can be achieved as the 22 immigration staff members withdrawn from India will reintegrate and resume their work in Canada and the Philippines.
Which Visa Operations Will Be Affected?
IRCC has announced the temporary suspension of all in-person services at Consulates until further notice. Nonetheless, IRCC will continue to receive and process applications originating from India. Some application prerequisites will need to be fulfilled locally or on-site within a secure setting.
This downsizing of the IRCC team in India will impact the service standards available to Indian residents significantly, as the team size is being reduced from 27 to just five personnel.
The remaining IRCC staff in India will concentrate on tasks that necessitate an in-country presence, such as urgent processing, visa issuance, risk assessment, and supervision of key partners like visa application centers, panel physicians, and clinics conducting immigration medical examinations. The remaining workload and personnel will be redistributed across IRCC’s global processing network.
Despite these adjustments, IRCC maintains optimism that India’s visa operations will return to normal in the early part of the upcoming year.
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