The recent strike which took place from April 19th to May 1st between the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the Federal Government of Canada affected over 155,000 public officials and the services offered by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. In the quest of this situation, IRCC also provided a detailed update on the service disorder and the measures being taken to overcome the delays caused due to the strike.
Service Disruptions and Delays
This strike caused a widespread impact on the services offered by IRCC. The following areas experienced partial or full disruptions:
Biometrics
Canada has exclusively granted an extension to the collection of biometrics. If an applicant is unable to provide their biometrics in the stipulated timeframe due to the strike, they have 60 days to complete the step. In order to schedule a new appointment, there is no need to contact IRCC or obtain a biometric instruction letter. Applicants should bring their original instruction letter and proof of payment for the extension.
Citizenship Events
The citizenship events which got canceled due to the strike are being rescheduled. IRCC targets to rule out new invitation letters to ensure a timely process for citizenship.
Contacting IRCC
Due to the recent strike, a delay is expected in the response times while using the IRCC web form. Clients should expect longer waiting periods for their queries to be addressed by the Client Support Centre. Patience is advised while IRCC works to handle the backlog of inquiries.
Extending Your Stay in Canada
People who are looking to extend their stay in Canada may apply online. Though, a few conditions should be fulfilled, which include submission of the application online with all the required documents, biometrics, and fees before the expiration of the temporary residence status. Meeting these conditions will ensure the maintenance of legal status until a decision is made on the application.
Immigration-Related Appointments
IRCC is planning to reschedule all the canceled in-person immigration-related appointments. The applicants will be informed of their new appointments as soon as possible.
Passport Services
IRCC has resumed processing domestic passport applications. People who have already submitted their applications are not required to reapply. To track the progress of their applications, individuals can use the online passport status checker for real-time updates. However, it is important to note that due to increased application volumes, longer lineups and processing times should be expected at passport offices and Service Canada Centers.
Processing Applications
The recent strike impacted the application process of IRCC which caused delays in the processing times for the numerous applications.
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