TORONTO – The ongoing diplomatic tension between Canada and India is set to impact visa processing for Indians seeking entry into Canada.
This probable delay was confirmed by Canada’s Immigration Minister Marc Miller during a press conference in Ottawa on Thursday and the cause of the slowdown is India’s request for Canada to reduce its diplomatic presence in the country.
According to Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Mélanie Joly, 41 diplomats have left India, leaving just 21 remaining in the country.
The minister stated that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will significantly reduce its staff in India, from 27 to 5, reassuring that all applications will be processed, though the reduced staff will lead to delays in processing, longer response times, and extended visa issuance periods.
The Immigration Minister also reassured clients in India and Canadians with family and friends in India that Canada will continue to accept and process all temporary and permanent resident applications.
It bears mentioning that IRCC is working to lessen the impact by redistributing tasks among Visa Application Centres (VACs), which handle most of the applications from India. However, some work will need to be managed through email.
Visa Application Centres (VACs) are run by independent entities and will maintain regular operations. Applicants can still access administrative assistance, send their passports, and provide biometrics at one of the ten IRCC centers in India.
In an official statement, the IRCC highlighted that a significant portion of Indian applications is already handled through IRCC’s worldwide network. According to the data, approximately 89% of applications from India are processed internationally. With only five IRCC staff members left in India, their roles will concentrate on tasks necessitating on-site presence, including urgent processing, visa printing, risk evaluation, and supervision of vital collaborators.
India continues to hold its position as the primary source of newcomers to Canada. Last year, out of the 437,000 new permanent residents welcomed by Canada, a significant 27% – or over 118,000 individuals – were of Indian origin. Moreover, India contributed substantially to the international student population, with over 226,000 Indian students, constituting 41% of the 551,000 new international students admitted by Canada. In 2022, close to 60,000 Indians also obtained Canadian citizenship, further affirming the strong ties between the two nations.
The bone of contention between the two countries is the allegation hurled by Canada that India was involved in the killing of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar who was based in Canada.
