Canada’s immigration minister says the country will only be able to process 20,000 Indian visas by the end of the year, down from an initial target of 38,000.
The minister blamed the shortage on limited personnel availability in India, where there are currently only five IRCC members working on-site.
The minister said he expects that 17,500 Indian applications will remain pending at the start of 2024.
IRCC has set a target to meet service standards for 80% of all applications, but these standards vary depending on the type of application.
For example, an international student visa from outside Canada should be processed within 60 days, a family-class sponsorship application within 12 months, and an Express Entry application within six months.
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