Image via WikipediaDue to the recent efforts of
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), processing times for a number of immigrant application tracks to Canada have been significantly reduced.
Processing times for the Federal Skilled Worker track (allowing
Permanent Residency via the economic class in the Asia and Pacific offices have been reduced as follows:
| 2010 | Processing Times in Months |
| Beijing ( China) | 42 | 9 |
| Hong Kong (China) | 51 | 13 |
| Islamabad (Pakistan) | 77 | 11 |
| New Delhi (India) | 79 | 10 |
| Colombo (Sri Lanka) | 57 | 11 |
| Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) | 44 | 10 |
| Manila (Philippines) | 70 | 11 |
Processing times for the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) track in Asia and Pacific offices are also currently operating at a similar pace:
| Visa Office | Processing Times in Months |
| Beijing ( China) | 11 |
| Hong Kong (China) | 21 |
| Islamabad (Pakistan) | 23 |
| New Delhi (India) | 6 |
| Colombo (Sri Lanka) | 25 |
| Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) | - |
| Manila (Philippines) | 11 |
Processing times for the Investor track however, remain unacceptably high. This explains why the CIC has recently indicated that, after lifting the moratorium on this class last month (after imposing it to clear its backlog), it will be working to reduce processing times in the coming term:
| Visa Office | Processing Times in Months |
| Beijing ( China) | 38 |
| Hong Kong (China) | 37 |
| Islamabad (Pakistan) | 43 |
| New Delhi (India) | 28 |
| Colombo (Sri Lanka) | - |
| Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) | - |
| Manila (Philippines) | 44 |
There is also a significant difference in processing times as between paper applications versus online applications:
| Type of Application (Paper) | Processing Times |
| Canada Visitor Visa | 115 days |
| Canada Work Permit (Same employer) | 94 days |
| Canada Work Permit (New employer) | 31 days |
| Canada Study Permit | 58 days |
| Canada Off-Campus Work Permit | 31 days |
| Protected Person Status Document | 16 days |
| Type of Application (Online) | Processing Times |
| Canada Visitor Visa | 48 days |
| Canada Work Permit (Same employer) | 48 days |
| Canada Work Permit (New employer) | 48 days |
| Canada Study Permit | 48 days |
| Canada Off-Campus Work Permit | 20 days |
| Protected Person Status Document | Not Applicable |
The reduced processing times ought to be of significant importance for, and an important appeal to, those persons considering immigrating to Canada through any of the above immigrant application tracks.
By Manjit Singh, Associate, Cambridge LLP International Legal Services Group
Image via WikipediaDue to the recent efforts of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), processing times for a number of immigrant application tracks to Canada have been significantly reduced.
