Canada Reduced the Processing Time of Visitor Visa for Pakistanis

Processing times for applications for visitor visas from Pakistani nationals would be shortened. The IRCC’s processing time update dated May 2, 2023, shows that 80% of visitor visa requests from Pakistan are processed in an average of 802 days.

Concerns of MP Salma Zahid for Pakistan’s Visitor Visa

However, during a meeting with Fraser on May 3, Salma Zahid, the MP for Scarborough Centre, voiced her concerns about the protracted processing time for Pakistani tourist visas.

Response of Immigration Minister Sean Fraser

On May 4, Fraser replied that the IRCC processes completed TRV applications from Pakistan within 60 days and has intentions to reduce that period to 30 days soon. According to Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Sean Fraser, approximately 100,000 immigration files were left pending during the IRCC strike, which lasted from April 19 to May 1.

As a result, the agency has encountered significant challenges in returning to the pre-pandemic service levels. Fraser, however, is certain that recent adjustments to increase worker efficiency will make it easier to clear the backlog. We’ll be in a great position over the next few months, he said.

Although the most recent improvements to processing time frames give Pakistani visitor visa applicants some hope, it’s crucial to remember that other countries are still concerned about the long processing delays for visitor visas.

IRCC Made Changes in Processing Time for Visitor Visa For Different Nations

In the previous six months, the IRCC processed 762 days for Nigerian applications and 716 days for those from the United Arab Emirates. The assurance provided by Minister Fraser to Pakistani applicants is welcome, but it is unclear how the Canadian government would handle the problem of processing times for visiting visas from other nations. In terms of processing times for visitor visas, there have been some notable changes for three countries.

According to the latest data, as of the last week, 80% of visitor visa applications from Nigeria took the IRCC 762 days to process. This is a decrease of 128 days from the previous week. For Pakistan, the processing time was 802 days, which is a decrease of 164 days from the previous week.  Meanwhile, there was an increase in processing times for the United Arab Emirates, with 80% of applications taking 716 days to process – a 355-day increase from the previous week.

These fluctuations in processing times highlight the importance of monitoring updates and staying informed about the latest changes.