Reduction in Spousal Sponsorships & Backlog

[InfoSeeker12]

Finally, many of us are getting to understand why CIC was not clearly responding to delays in processing Spousal applications. They were waiting to announce the Cut on Spousal PR Applications. If I got it correct, perhaps the no. of Spousal PR visas for 2024 has been reduced by 12,000?
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2024/10/government-of-canada-reduces-immigration.html

Families that applied earlier in 2021, 22 and 23 are still waiting to hear anything back from CIC, while Outland applications from February 2024 have started to get their COPR. This is completely outrageous. With the recent announced cuts in Spousal PRs, the backlog will start to grow and families will be made to suffer for years without any information on how long the process will take. CIC should be forced to publish the backlog no. of applications from 2021 specially for Spousal PR Sponsored by PR or Canadian Citizens. And if CIC really does not have capacity to process the growing no. of applications - why not shut down the intake of new applications. First process 90% of the backlog from the last 3 years and then start to take new applications in the pipeline.

Please write to your MPs, tweet or if you happen to vlog - raise the voice - specially if you are a Canadian Citizen, working, doing business and paying taxes - ask your MP to demand from CIC actual Backlog numbers of applications within each separate streams from 2021 till 2023. Lets tear the curtain behind which CIC officers hide their inefficiency and complain and cry about the sheer volume of applications.

And yes - if you happen to be at Tim or any food chain close to any IRCC office, next time you see an IRCC officer enter your shop - ask them to stand beside the door. The moment they ask - tell them their ENTRY IS NON-ROUTINE. Just wait for your turn, the longer you wait 'quietly', the quicker you will take their order

 

[scylla]

Finally, many of us are getting to understand why CIC was not clearly responding to delays in processing Spousal applications. They were waiting to announce the Cut on Spousal PR Applications. If I got it correct, perhaps the no. of Spousal PR visas for 2024 has been reduced by 12,000?
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2024/10/government-of-canada-reduces-immigration.html

Families that applied earlier in 2021, 22 and 23 are still waiting to hear anything back from CIC, while Outland applications from February 2024 have started to get their COPR. This is completely outrageous. With the recent announced cuts in Spousal PRs, the backlog will start to grow and families will be made to suffer for years without any information on how long the process will take. CIC should be forced to publish the backlog no. of applications from 2021 specially for Spousal PR Sponsored by PR or Canadian Citizens. And if CIC really does not have capacity to process the growing no. of applications - why not shut down the intake of new applications. First process 90% of the backlog from the last 3 years and then start to take new applications in the pipeline.

Please write to your MPs, tweet or if you happen to vlog - raise the voice - specially if you are a Canadian Citizen, working, doing business and paying taxes - ask your MP to demand from CIC actual Backlog numbers of applications within each separate streams from 2021 till 2023. Lets tear the curtain behind which CIC officers hide their inefficiency and complain and cry about the sheer volume of applications.

And yes - if you happen to be at Tim or any food chain close to any IRCC office, next time you see an IRCC officer enter your shop - ask them to stand beside the door. The moment they ask - tell them their ENTRY IS NON-ROUTINE. Just wait for your turn, the longer you wait 'quietly', the quicker you will take their order

FYI - The reduced targets have nothing to do with IRCC capacity. This is politics around reducing immigration levels and high cost of housing, etc. Anyone with an application in play or expecting to apply soon has to hope the Conservatives don't get in during the next fed election or expect further reductions (although maybe not to spousal sponsorship). Your question around older applications being processed first is fair. Although some of that is the Quebec issue and not a federal issue (although still completely unacceptable and people impacted by this should be yelling at their Quebec provincial rep for screwing up their lives).

 

[armoured]

FYI - The reduced targets have nothing to do with IRCC capacity. This is politics around reducing immigration levels and high cost of housing, etc.

I have seen nothing in the publications to indicate that the government is changing levels for spousal and dependent sponsorships applications. They have usually been pretty clear that these apps are driven by demand (number of applications) and capacity.

As I read this: current government does not target reducing capacity for processing applications. They expect demand - the number of applications - to fall. Easily explained, logically, by lower numbers of TRV (temporary workers and students) that tend to get married and apply. The fewer temporary residents in Canada, the fewer spousal apps. (I think they may be somewhat off on the amounts for various reasons, including temporary residents who apply by spousal instead of economic - but that's only speculation on my part).

This is NOT the case for the PGP programs and other family programs - those are probably actual cuts.

Regardless: in the near term, only the temporary resident cuts are 'real' so far. Some of this will change under a new govt. It's not likely any paths for immigration will become easier under a conservative govt (is my guess).

 

[scylla]

I have seen nothing in the publications to indicate that the government is changing levels for spousal and dependent sponsorships applications. They have usually been pretty clear that these apps are driven by demand (number of applications) and capacity.

As I read this: current government does not target reducing capacity for processing applications. They expect demand - the number of applications - to fall. Easily explained, logically, by lower numbers of TRV (temporary workers and students) that tend to get married and apply. The fewer temporary residents in Canada, the fewer spousal apps. (I think they may be somewhat off on the amounts for various reasons, including temporary residents who apply by spousal instead of economic - but that's only speculation on my part).

This is NOT the case for the PGP programs and other family programs - those are probably actual cuts.

Regardless: in the near term, only the temporary resident cuts are 'real' so far. Some of this will change under a new govt. It's not likely any paths for immigration will become easier under a conservative govt (is my guess).

I'm not sure I understand your post. However you can see the drop in spousal sponsorship visa issuance targets below. You can see the differences between the previous 2025 targets and new 2025 targets.

Original targets: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/notices/supplementary-immigration-levels-2024-2026.html

New targets: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/notices/supplementary-immigration-levels-2025-2027.html

 

[agentorange_]

I've been in this waiting process since 2023. Recently I came across a post of a CBSA officer, and one look at their post history confirmed they are one and also extremely racist towards certain groups and religions. Fair treatment - well I don't expect that much out of IRCC anymore. We unluckily have found ourselves in the crosshairs of political battles with elections nearby.

 

[armoured]

I'm not sure I understand your post. However you can see the drop in spousal sponsorship visa issuance targets below.

My point is that I don't believe they are 'targets' but estimates when it comes to spousal sponsorships. That is, they're not trying to actively manage how many come in or get completed (overall), they just estimate based on historical drivers how many are likely.

[Note: this may sound contradictory but this doesn't mean that managers within the system aren't set targets; but those are processing targets. They're not held responsible if the applications don't come in.]

That said, I could be wrong.

 

[InfoSeeker12]

FYI - The reduced targets have nothing to do with IRCC capacity. This is politics around reducing immigration levels and high cost of housing, etc. Anyone with an application in play or expecting to apply soon has to hope the Conservatives don't get in during the next fed election or expect further reductions (although maybe not to spousal sponsorship). Your question around older applications being processed first is fair. Although some of that is the Quebec issue and not a federal issue (although still completely unacceptable and people impacted by this should be yelling at their Quebec provincial rep for screwing up their lives).

Its not about Quebec!

This is about OUTLAND SPOUSAL PR APPLICAITONS, for Ontario, Alberta and provinces other than Quebec. Spousal PR applicants from Ontario and Alberta are in the systems since 2021 - while 2024 are being processed. If these applicants are threat to Western Civilization or some other reason - just let them know, so the families can start to work to find their alternatives. And no my dear @scylla - its not innocently 'unfair'.... This is purely CRIMINAL and INTENTIONAL they way CIC delays one's application, denies clear information, processes another random application much faster, keeps people's lives in limbo - and it should NOT BE DEFENDED.

Yes, Quebec waiting times are a man made disaster itself and a reflection of how immigrants are still viewed - as Slaves, rightly pointed out by UN. The same views and thoughts spill over other CIC programs and other Govt. departments - be it CBSA or others. The difference here is Quebec - announced and publicized its horrendous waiting times.

CIC intentionally and purposefully boasts 10-12 month timeline line for Spousal PR since 2023. What they are not disclosing is that this timeline is their Fast Track timeline for certain 'Favorite' applicants. This is DISCRIMINATORY as the criteria is NOT MADE PUBLIC and that's why i said it earlier, what they are knowingly doing is Criminal.
And we need to make everyone aware about it, complain to CIC and media to bring it in public.

There are Spousal PR applications from Ontario, Alberta sponsored by Canadian Citizens, who are waiting since 2021 in the system. We often catch those here in the forum and then some pop up on facebook or twitter sometimes. The 10 month timeline for Spousal PR - is for Govt chosen applications which are being fast tracked to address needs of certain provinces. They have prioritized certain SKILLS CATEGORY and handful of countries among the Spousal PR applications - and that's why you see applicants from November 2023 or Feb 2024, getting their COPR in October 2024. The rest are conveniently told to wait since their application is NON-ROUTINE/COMPLEX (because it does not qualify for their Secret Fast Track).

For all Outland and non-Quebec Spousal PR applications, CIC should immediately:
-Scrap the misguiding Case Processing Timelines - It has no connection to majority of applicants.
-Publish the Backlog! Monthly update, no. of applications, remaining in the backlog from 2021, 22 and 23
-Post the No. of Non-Routine/Complex applications, categorized by their Country of Origin
-Clear the SPOUSAL PR backlog FROM 2021, 22 and 23 before 2024 (soon 2025) applications are taken into their processing.

Many Citizens - who married abroad in the past 2-3 years (or even now) - simply take the Processing timeline as Holy Grail.
Not their fault - as the CIC Timeline does not say - Caution: its a vague timeline, a mumbo jumbo hotch-potch of several factors, country of origin, our favorites, our skills needs, work experience, balance amount in the bank...etc. etc...which determines if a file will be thrown in Complex/Non-Routine bin or will be processed right away. The timeline does not say that an applicant might be waiting 10 months or 36 months or more to get their spouse here in Canada.

And on this existing mess, they are now going to add another layer of REDUCTION OF QUOTA for SPOUSAL PRs - ofcourse applications which were deemed complex/non-routine and have been waiting since 21, 22 and early half of 23, will be now given a new label -CATEGORY ABYSS??

#PUBLISHtheBACKLOG