The Canadian government has stated that it is “currently prioritising those applications for clients whose studies begin in September,” while also extending the remote learning option for an additional year, despite the fact that tens of thousands of study permit applications are still pending.
An Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) representative responded to inquiries from the Hindustan Times by saying, “These are the visas received by Indians who intend to study at a Canadian university.” The backlog of unresolved cases makes up the processing inventory.
According to IRCC, “an increase in the number of study permission applications this year” contributed to the substantial inventory backlog. In the first five months of 2022, the IRCC received almost 123,500 study visa applications from Indian citizens, or 55% more than in the same period in the previous year.
“We are making every effort to shorten wait times for our services globally. As of August 15, more than 75,000 Indian study permit applications were in the processing inventory,” the official told. But as a warning, “Despite the prioritising of study permit applications for students looking to begin their studies in September, it is expected that some international students may not have their application processed on time to begin their studies in person for the fall 2022 intake period.”
The Indian government received inquiries from worried parents, and on August 19, its high commission in Ottawa made a recommendation. The high commission and India’s consulates in Toronto and Vancouver, it was asserted, ” are engaged with key Canadian interlocutors, including Canadian academic institutions and universities, addressing challenges faced by Indian students due to visa delays.” It added that there are currently about 230,000 Indian students studying in post-secondary institutions in Canada.
