IRCC decreased its workforce in India

On October 19, 2023, the Government of Canada decided to reduce the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) workforce in India from 27 employees to five in response to India’s decision to reduce immunities for Canadian diplomats in Delhi. Despite the reduced staff, IRCC will still accept and process applications from India, although processing times may be affected. Most applications from India are already processed outside the country, with 89% handled through the global network. The remaining IRCC staff in India will focus on urgent processing, visa printing, risk assessment, and oversight of key partners. Indian applicants should expect delays in processing times, responses to inquiries, and the return of visas or passports.