Article: Canada’s immigration system is overwhelmed with information requests. Ottawa was warned – but did nothing

[shiremag]

Globe and Mail article (paywall): https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-immigration-applications-access-requests/
Archive (no paywall): https://archive.is/Zdl4Q

You can also listen to the accompanying podcast online

 

[Dr. Walden]

How is this even reconciled with the fact that IRCC is in fact overstaffed 65%? They have 65% more than needed workforce to do their job. Nevertheless, we have articles like this. How can these 2 facts co-exist?

 

[bellaluna]

Piss-poor resources allocation or lack of adequate training?

 

[shiremag]

How is this even reconciled with the fact that IRCC is in fact overstaffed 65%? They have 65% more than needed workforce to do their job. Nevertheless, we have articles like this. How can these 2 facts co-exist?

It's poor allocation of resources and money... they could have used the money to process ATIP to better their systems. They were warned and they didn't act

The article is right: if you are transparent and give access to more and timely information on a application status e.g. exact reason for refusal and estimated times for review etc., the need for ATIPs will reduce

On the other hand, another issue is their performance metrics disincentivise clearing backlogs. If an application is considered past processing standard - i.e., a backlog case: it doesn't matter you are already dinged for it. It doesn't further ding you no matter how old the file gets. It looks like they only care about clearing files that are within the processing standard and once it goes past it doesn't matter. This is so flawed

And properly following FIFO and at all stages of the application:
https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/shift-from-fifo-to-priority-cohorts-ircc-atip-somewhat-confirms-they-are-not-following-fifo.806345/

What is a "Priority Cohort?" - again no transparency

The two big issues with IRCC is lack of communication and transparency

 

[Mounat]

How is this even reconciled with the fact that IRCC is in fact overstaffed 65%? They have 65% more than needed workforce to do their job. Nevertheless, we have articles like this. How can these 2 facts co-exist?

Where did you get this fact from? Even if they were fully staffed, mismanagement and poor resource allocation, as mentioned before, can lead to this. But immigration information is personal and sensitive, not unlike health information. And applicants want full transparency in addition to maintaining their privacy, so there's a delicate balance to strike here. USCIS used to have what's called an "infopass" appointment where one could go to the local office and meet with an officer to discuss why their application was delayed. That was helpful but went the way of the Dodo bird. I'm not sure what the solution is to provide timely, comprehensive and privacy-maintaining updates to an application.

 

[shiremag]

Where did you get this fact from? Even if they were fully staffed, mismanagement and poor resource allocation, as mentioned before, can lead to this. But immigration information is personal and sensitive, not unlike health information. And applicants want full transparency in addition to maintaining their privacy, so there's a delicate balance to strike here. USCIS used to have what's called an "infopass" appointment where one could go to the local office and meet with an officer to discuss why their application was delayed. That was helpful but went the way of the Dodo bird. I'm not sure what the solution is to provide timely, comprehensive and privacy-maintaining updates to an application.

It's a Parliamentary Budget Office Report that is public that stated this in March 2023:
https://globalnews.ca/news/9535283/immigration-application-processing-staff-pbo/

 

[Mounat]

On the other hand, another issue is their performance metrics disincentivise clearing backlogs. If an application is considered past processing standard - i.e., a backlog case: it doesn't matter you are already dinged for it. It doesn't further ding you no matter how old the file gets. It looks like they only care about clearing files that are within the processing standard and once it goes past it doesn't matter. This is so flawed

Agree with this. There should be sufficient incentive to clear the backlog. At least the same as processing within standard times, if not more.

 

[shiremag]

This tweet from Andrew Koltun an immigration attorney sums it up:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1669684442804224000

 

[Dr. Walden]

I fixed it:

 

[shiremag]

I fixed it:

You should post this as a reply to Andrew Koltun's twitter thread and tag Minister Sean Fraser lol... This is cool

 

[Dr. Walden]

You should post this as a reply to Andrew Koltun's twitter thread and tag Minister Sean Fraser lol... This is cool

Hahaha I'm shy

The ECAS processing/progress page is not that much different from the new tracker. It is essentially the same darn thing, just revamped a tat. What bothers me, and probably I need to look into it before criticizing or making assumptions. But I will go ahead and make this wild guess that the budget for this new tracker was probably substantial. Probably millions. And ultimately, it is the same user interface.
There is an on-point comment made by someone under that Twitter thread: "Dominos sees customers as people deserving of respect and honesty. The IRCC sees applicants as inventory with no respect or deserving of decency." On point! Bull's eye!