The Department continues to make progress on reducing backlogs aided by additional staff and processing innovations.
Productivity is high. Between January and December 2022, IRCC made over 5.2M final decisions for permanent residents, temporary residents (excluding Electronic Travel Authorizations) and citizenship (grants and proofs) – almost double the number of final decisions made in 2021 (2.7M).
In 2021, Canada made history by welcoming over 405,000 new permanent residents. In 2022, IRCC exceeded its admissions target, welcoming over 437K new permanent residents.
Since July 2022, processing inventories have been reduced by over 590,000, from 2.8M to 2.2M despite temporary resident intake above forecasts; including over 761,000 applications (as of end of December) under the Canada Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel received since March 2022.
Canada also welcomed more than 373,000 new Canadian citizens from January through December 2022 – a notable increase from the 251,000 new citizens welcomed in 2019 (pre-pandemic). In fact, it’s the most new citizens welcomed in a calendar year, dating back to 2006.
These results have been achieved by:
Hiring over 1,250 full time equivalents (FTEs) as of December 2022; and
Key innovations including online applications for permanent residents, and the automation and streamlining of processing steps for low risk travelers.
Supplementary Messages
Backlogs and Inventories
IRCC surpassed the Cabinet approved target of 431,645, welcoming ~437K new permanent residents in 2022. Admissions remained within the approved range (maximum of ~445K). We also made approximately 560k final decisions in this category.
This strong progress has enabled additional flexibility for the Department to increase focus on finalizing older applications, which will help with meeting service standards moving forward, as well as preparing to achieve even higher levels in 2023 (465,000).
Some key 2022 admission objectives were met, namely meeting the 4,42% of francophone admissions outside Quebec, a year in advance of the 2023 commitment.
Key Accomplishments since July 2022 (Data as of January 22, 2023)
Temporary resident inventory has been reduced by over 430,000 applications (from 1,714,000 in September 2022 to 1,277,400 applications by the end of January 2023) (includes CUAET applications and does not include extensions or eTA applications).
Study permits inventory has been reduced by more than half, from 187,000 to 89,300. Study permit processing times have significantly improved from 84 to 66 days.
Work permit (non-CUAET) inventory has decreased by 21,600 from 101,000 to 79,400. Processing times have significantly decreased from 192 to 78 days. The Department will continue its efforts to achieve the 60-day service standard for both, Study and Work permits.
The backlog of spousal temporary resident visa (TRV) applications is estimated to be cleared by March 2023 and new clients can expect a processing time of 30 days.
The TRV (including CUAET) inventory has been reduced by 264,800 from 907,000 to 642,200. This significant reduction is attributable to IRCC’s ongoing efforts in clearing out older inventory. Although the processing time remains high due to increased intake and the finalization of older files, clearing out the aged TRV and CUAET inventories is a necessary step for returning to a healthy inventory in the long term.
CUAET applications and special measures continue to be a priority for IRCC. The Department was originally funded for 300K CUAET applications and 200k arrivals. As of January 22, 2023, we have received more than double the amount of CUAET applications, for a total of 793K. Despite this challenge, IRCC has reduced CUAET work permit inventory and processing times. In July 2022, inventory stood at 224k and has since decreased to 214k as of January 22, 2023, even with a constant flow of new applications. Processing times have also decreased from 81 days in July 2022 to 26 days as of January 22, 2023. In regards to the CUAET TRV application inventory, the inventory stood at 154,600 as of the end of July 2022 and has since decreased by over 30K to 124,500 as of January 2023.
Permanent resident inventory has been reduced by nearly 100,000 applications from 714,700 to 614,800.
New clients applying under Express Entry Programs or under Spouses, Partners or Children programs (except Quebec) can expect to be processed within service standards (6 months and 12 months respectively).
As of July 1, 2022, new clients applying under the Quebec Skilled Workers can expect to be processed within the 11-month service standard.
The citizenship inventory grants has been reduced by 78,400 applications from 382,000 in July 2022 to 303,600 as of January 22, 2023. Processing times have decreased to 23 months, from 26 months in July.
Staffing
IRCC employs an integrated, department-wide approach to staffing planning and hiring.
To process more files, lessen wait times, and reduce the inventory of applications, IRCC has hired over 1,250 new full time equivalents (FTEs) as of December 2022 and will continue hiring efforts throughout 2023.
Innovations – Current and Upcoming
IRCC continues to produce a high volume of decisions, aided by the launch of various measures including automation.
The Department allowed temporary foreign nationals to stay and work by extending post-graduate work permits and waived limits on student hours of work.
IRCC provided greater opportunity for foreign nationals in certain in-demand occupations (e.g. truck drivers, nurse aides) to become permanent residents through NOC 2021 implementation.
The Department rolled out mandatory e-application for most permanent resident programs.
Liaison Services at the Ministerial Centre for Members of Parliament and Senators was launched in October 2022; allowing MPs, Senators and their staff to have more consistent, predictable and reliable support from IRCC.
Since July 2022, we’ve processed over 136,000 emails in the backlog using new technology tools, and are on track to return to service standard of 3 business days in our email response rate by spring 2023.
To help clients make their plans with greater confidence, IRCC continues to develop further improvements to the online processing times tool to increase predictability for applicants
IRCC is on track to roll-out case status trackers for the most pressing permanent resident and temporary resident lines of business, in addition to those already in place for Family Class and citizenship.
January 2023 release: Permanent resident – Express Entry (Canadian Experience Class; Federal Skilled Worker Class; Federal Skilled Trade Class; Provincial Nominee Program)
March 2023 release: Temporary resident (study permit visa; work permit visa; temporary resident visa)
Starting January 30, 2023, a two-year measure will broaden eligibility to work in Canada to spouses and working-age children of temporary foreign workers.
The Department expanded online citizenship applications to adults in August 2022.
Work is in progress to expand the grant online application to minors who have a Canadian parent or a parent who is applying for citizenship at the same time and will scale the e-app to additional minor applicants in 2023-2024.
The Department expanded e-citizenship certificates to those in conflict regions in September 2022 and to all new applicants as of January 4, 2023.
IRCC is expected to roll out a new passport issuance platform in spring 2023 which leverages automation at Employment and Social Development Canada.
Passport applications received as of October 2022 are meeting the service standard over 90% of the time.
