Immigration processing times are facing considerable delays as the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) grapples with a record-breaking influx of security screening requests. According to a recent annual report, CSIS received over 538,000 screening requests in 2024, nearly doubling the approximately 300,000 annual requests prior to 2023. The dramatic increase, partly attributed to rising asylum applications, has created a substantial backlog, with immigration lawyers across Canada reporting extended and unexplained delays for their clients. Despite acknowledging the high volume of pending applications, CSIS maintains it will continue taking the necessary time to complete thorough security assessments.
Surge in CSIS security screenings leads to significant immigration processing delays
