At this rate, I am looking for other options. I am not saying I am giving up on Canada completely. But I will have only myself to blame if by the end of 2022, I haven't looked for alternatives and Canada's immigration process is still at a standstill (or at best slow). I don't blame Canada for the backlog but they could be a bit more transparent about the timeline. I didn't spend years and years in graduate school to wait around only to become unemployable because I am waiting for IRCC to resume moving at regular speed (or have a FSW draw). Again, I don't blame Canada, I think it is a wonderful country and express entry is an innovative immigration pathway, but given how things are unfolding it is not practical for Canada to be my first or only immigration option. At this rate, it might be take less time to get citizenship in the US than to get PR in Canada.
Just the disappointed ramblings of a disappointed EE applicant.