Canada s immigration system is facing backlog issues due to reasons such as COVID-19 pandemic, aging technology, high demand, and staffing shortages. The delay can lead to frustration for the applicant. However, applicants can take some steps to get information on the status of their application. These steps include checking the status of the application on the IRCCs website, filing a web form enquiry or calling at the IRCC customer care number, requesting GCMS, CAIPS, or FOSS notes etc.
Secret Canada helps Canadians understand and use the access system through a database of completed FOI request summaries, guides on how to navigate the filing process and the latest news.
Each year, would-be immigrants file tens of thousands of access requests for the status of their applications. The result is a bogged-down public service, runaway costs and no fix in sight
After CBC News published a story about how Canada's immigration department assigned tens of thousands of applications to hundreds of inactive employees and placeholder codes, the department explains its processing system and why it does this.