New task force to improve immigration and passport services for Canadians

Key aspects of the new task force

• The new task force is set to improve service standards for Canada's airports and the IRCC, passport applications
• The IRCC had a backlog of 2.4 million people who were waiting for their applications to be processed
• The task force with a large group of federal ministers will identify and address service gaps and areas for improvement
• The IRCC's backlog of 2.7 million applications has significantly increased all through the pandemic
• Currently, the updated IRCC processing time tool has been provided to show the time taken for applications to be processed

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Overview:

The task force in Ottawa, has made suggestions for solutions to the application backlogs with IRCC and Service Canada where the Canadians have been insisted on waiting in lines with longer wait hours and processing times that have been undetermined. For that reason, the task force has taken a step forward to introduce multiple new measures that are presently in effect, or will be soon.

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Canada’s service standards

On June 25, Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada, announced the development of a task force to implement service standards for Canada's airports and the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), passport applications.

Earlier, the IRCC had a backlog of 2.4 million people who were waiting for their applications to be processed and the new task force was a response to what the Prime Minister considered to be "unacceptable" backlogs in these services.

The Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, has confirmed that since June, the task force with a large group of federal ministers have gathered weekly, to identify and address the service gaps and areas for improvement.

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2.7 million increase in IRCC backlog

The IRCC's backlog of applicants has significantly increased all through the pandemic, making the processing times extremely slow. Currently, the updated IRCC processing time tool has been provided to show how long it might take for applications to be processed, in each IRCC line of business. Even though this tool gives applicants a realistic idea of how long it will take for their application to be processed, the IRCC lags in most of its service standards.

However, Sean Fraser, the Immigration Minister of Canada, has mentioned that, with more staff and greater investment in digitization and technology, most of the service standards will be improved and achieved by the end of 2022.

With the help of the new applicants, arriving in Canada in 2022, the country will be able to meet the service standards and the individuals will deal with 60 days or 6 months or 12 months, without an unspecified time.

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The launch of new passport pick-up offices

Service Canada is presently encountering an exceptional rise in passport applications since the pandemic-related travel restrictions have been relaxed where the Canadians have been insisted to wait in the lines with longer wait hours and processing times have been undetermined. For that reason, the task force has taken a step forward to introduce multiple new measures that are presently in effect, or will be soon.

One of these task force measures is the launch of four new passport pick-up offices where, it is advised to open a maximum of 20 new applications and pick-up locations on the whole. The government recently declared that the new passport pickup locations will be opening in;

• Trois-Rivières, Quebec
• Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
• Charlottetown, PEI
• Red Deer, Alberta

Minister Karina Gould states, that these locations will process the passports approximately in nine or ten business days. In each new passport pick-up will be within 50 kilometers of most Canadians, which may ease some of the long lines in other locations and many will have extended service hours.

An investment of $85 million was made by the government, in the 2021 Fiscal and Economic Updat, to support in minimizing the backlog of applications and long wait times. The budget was mostly used to hire an additional 500 new passport officers along with 319 Citizen Services Officers. Furthermore, the government is reinforcing the existing staff from other federal agencies, to process passports.

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Additional measures

The Canadians renewing a passport, may be eligible to take advantage of the easier renewal process with passports that have been expired or less than 15 years, or have had their passports lost, stolen or damaged, might only have to submit two references, two photos, application form, and fees, rather than mailing in proof of citizenship or finding a guarantor.

In the long term, the task force will be exploring options that will allow people to submit applications online as well as enable over 300 Service Canada centers to process passport applications. However, there is no timeline given for these initiatives to take effect.

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