Hundreds of Thousands of Canadian Citizenship Hopefuls Waiting For Applications To Be Processed

5/18/2021 Hundreds of thousands of Canadian citizenship hopefuls waiting for applications to be processed | CBC News
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Hundreds of thousands of Canadian citizenship hopefuls

waiting for applications to be processed
Backlog of permanent residents waiting to take test grows during COVID-19

pandemic
Raffy Boudjikanian · CBC News · Posted: May 17, 2021 4:00 AM ET | Last Updated: May 17
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https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canadian-citizenship-betrayed-waiting-1.6028800 1/11
Minakshi, who came to Canada from India, began her citizenship application process in 2018. She has been waiting
for an online test invitation after her initial date in March 2020 was cancelled due to the pandemic, and she's had to
pay $600 in fees to renew documents. (Tina Mackenzie/CBC)
In March 2020, Minakshi thought her journey to Canadian citizenship was

coming to a close, as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada set a date
for her test.
Then the world changed before her eyes on March 11, exactly a week before her
scheduled citizenship exam, as the World Health Organization declared COVID-
19 a pandemic.
The IRCC cancelled all tests, including hers, except for what it called a few
"urgent" exams, held virtually.
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"We understood, we tried to co-operate," Minakshi said.
But several months passed before the department resumed tests, shifting them
online at the end of November.
Testing backlog grew during pandemic

Data obtained by CBC News shows Minakshi is one of hundreds of thousands of
people stuck in a waiting pattern.
In a series of internal IRCC emails, employees acknowledge that the backlog of

those permanent residents who are ready to take a citizenship test grew from
87,000 people in March 2020 to 102,000 by the start of this year.
The information also shows there were 311,259 people waiting to go through
the entire application process for citizenship at the end of January.
Of those, 102,989 had been waiting between 13 and 18 months — and 865 for
more than four years.
Citizenship tests set to resume online after 8-month suspension

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"One hundred and two thousand applicants, that's just like the size of a mid-
sized city in Canada," said Ahsan Umar, the head of an ad-hoc advocacy group,
Advocates for Citizenship Test.
The group lodged the access to information request that revealed the figures
and the internal department emails.
"We all understand reasonable delays because of this whole situation we are in,"
Umar said. "But when it gets to lack of transparency and unreasonable delays,
that instils a lot of deep sorrow in itself."
The cost of waiting

For Minakshi, who came to Canada 10 years ago and lives in London, Ont., it also
compounded job-seeking issues.
She has only a first name, not uncommon for the part of India where she's from.
She would like to start a career in real estate in Canada and obtain a surname.
But to legally do that, she would first need to pass her citizenship test.
Since 2018, she estimates she's paid up to $600 to renew her permanent
resident card and an Indian passport — and to get her fingerprints scanned
three times topurposes.
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Immigrants say their lives are in limbo as pandemic blocks their path
to citizenship
Although she started her Canadian citizenship application in 2018, Minakshi said

she has yet to receive a new test invitation, and she doesn't understand why it's
her responsibility to pay for new scans, since her actions haven't caused the
delay..
"Every morning, you know, instead of doing my regular work, I'm checking my
phone. Everyday, have I got the email yet? Do I need to prepare for my
citizenship test?"
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Ben Mansoura was among the 5,000 applicants to receive an online citizenship test invitation by the end of
2020. He had to submit an access to information request to find out he passed. (Mark Bochsler/CBC)
Toronto resident Ben Mansoura, another permanent resident, managed to be

among the first 5,000 candidates to receive an invitation to take an online test in
December.
But the senior IT manager had to file an access to information request about

himself just to find out he passed.
He's still waiting on criminal background and language eligibility results, with no
indication of when those might arrive.
"The agents on the phone would almost be like: 'Why are you calling us?'"
Mansoura said, whenever he called the IRCC to get updated information.
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For some permanent residents who thought they were close to becoming Canadian citizens, the prospect of
further delays raises the possibility they may be unable to vote in the next federal election, expected later this
year. (Tijana Martin/The Canadian Press)
In 2019, he didn't have the right to vote in the federal election, and he's worried
he may still be unable to cast a ballot in the next election, expected later this
year, if delays continue indefinitely.
"I do want to take part in the betterment of this country," said Mansoura, who
arrived in Canada in 2012 from the Czech Republic. "I feel unwelcome here, I feel
like I'm not being treated equally."
More digital tests coming 'very soon': minister

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Some of the internal IRCC emails in the 353-page document obtained by Ahsan
Umar's group date back from before the online test launch, with employees
settling on what one referred to as an "aggressive plan" to begin the pilot project
with 5,000 test invitations by the end of 2020.
Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino was unavailable for an interview on the

subject, but at a recent news conference, he asked those still waiting to "keep
the faith."
"More digital testing and citizenship ceremonies are coming to you very soon,"
he said.
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Immigration MInister Marco Mendicino, shown at a news conference last June, asks those still waiting for an
online citizenship test invitation to 'keep the faith.' (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
In a followup statement to CBC News, the IRCC said it had sent out 65,893 online
test invitations by the end of April, and 43,697 people had completed their
citizenship tests.
"Immigration officers have had to scramble for this last year as well," said Raj
Sharma, a Calgary-based immigration lawyer.
B.C. couple separated from son in India struggle to get answers on

immigration delay
Glimpsing at the numbers obtained by CBC News, he said he had expected the
backlog to be worse due to the pandemic.
But Sharma said there was no explanation for the large number of people

waiting for such a long time.
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WATCH | Essential workers, graduates to get new pathway to permanent

residency:
Ottawa opening new pathway to permanent residency for essential

workers, graduates
1 month ago | 1:59
The federal government has revealed it wants to make it easier for temporary essential workers and
international students to achieve permanent residency. 1:59
"It does look like there's some promising signs of spring ahead," Sharma said,
referring to the online testing process flowing more smoothly now.
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But it is little comfort for Minakshi: "If I get the fourth fingerprint request next
year, I'm going to withdraw my file," she said.
With files from Christina Romualdo
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5/18/2021 Hundreds of thousands of Canadian citizenship hopefuls waiting for applications to be processed | CBC News

COVID-19 Local updates Watch live COVID-19 tracker Vaccine tracker

Hundreds of thousands of Canadian citizenship hopefuls

Backlog of permanent residents waiting to take test grows during COVID-19

In March 2020, Minakshi thought her journey to Canadian citizenship was

information, please review your settings before continuing your visit.

"We understood, we tried to co-operate," Minakshi said.

Testing backlog grew during pandemic

In a series of internal IRCC emails, employees acknowledge that the backlog of

Citizenship tests set to resume online after 8-month suspension

The cost of waiting

Although she started her Canadian citizenship application in 2018, Minakshi said

Toronto resident Ben Mansoura, another permanent resident, managed to be

But the senior IT manager had to ﬁle an access to information request about

More digital tests coming 'very soon': minister

Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino was unavailable for an interview on the

B.C. couple separated from son in India struggle to get answers on

But Sharma said there was no explanation for the large number of people

WATCH | Essential workers, graduates to get new pathway to permanent

Ottawa opening new pathway to permanent residency for essential

With ﬁles from Christina Romualdo

©2021 CBC/Radio-Canada. All rights reserved.

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