Are you planning to apply for a visa, citizenship or any other immigration-related services in Canada? If so, you may want to brace yourself for possible processing delays in the coming weeks.
The reason for this is that the Government of Canada is currently negotiating collective agreements with bargaining groups representing around 159,000 public servants, and they may go on strike as early as mid-April 2023. This may have a significant impact on the services offered by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
While some IRCC services will still be available in the event of a labour disruption, including online applications and emergency services, many others may experience delays. Temporary and permanent immigration applications, in-person appointments or events, including citizenship ceremonies, consular citizenship and passport services, and passport services in Canada, are likely to be either partially or fully disrupted.
This situation is not unique to Canada. Governments around the world have been dealing with similar issues as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors. However, for anyone seeking to apply for Canadian immigration services, it may be frustrating to experience further delays.
It’s important to note that the government is committed to negotiating collective agreements that are fair for employees and reasonable for taxpayers. However, this may come at a cost of delayed immigration services for the public.
We will keep you posted on further updates related to this issue and how services may be impacted.
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