Canada’s Immigration Backlog: A 50-Year Wait That Signals the End of Historic Immigration Programs

In a startling revelation that has sent shockwaves through the immigration law community and affected families across Canada, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has published processing times that stretch as long as 50 years for certain permanent residency applications. This unprecedented delay has raised questions about the viability, fairness, and transparency of Canada’s immigration system. 

The CBC recently reported on the case of Olha Kushko and her family, who fled the war in Ukraine and settled in Ottawa under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET). In June 2025, they applied for permanent residence under the humanitarian and compassionate stream, only to discover that their estimated wait time had ballooned from two years to more than a decade. According to IRCC’s online processing time checker, there are over 38,000 applicants ahead of them in this stream alone. 

For families like the Kushkos, the implications are devastating. With work permits set to expire and children adjusting to life in Canada, the prospect of returning to a war-torn country is not just impractical, it is dangerous. The emotional toll is compounded by the uncertainty and lack of clear communication from immigration authorities. 

The humanitarian and compassionate stream is designed for individuals who do not qualify under other immigration categories but face significant hardship. It is meant to uphold Canada’s commitment to humanitarian values. However, the newly published processing times, which range from 12 to 600 months, suggest a system that is overwhelmed and potentially shifting away from these principles. 

Other economic immigration programs are also facing staggering delays: 

• Caregivers pathway: up to 9 years 

• Agri-food stream: up to 19 years 

• Startup visa stream: up to 35 years 

These figures have prompted immigration lawyers to demand clarity and accountability. Many fear that the government may be preparing to cancel applications en masse, especially if proposed legislation like Bill C-12 passes, granting the immigration minister sweeping powers to eliminate backlogs. 

IRCC has stated that the publication of these numbers was not a mistake, but rather an effort to be transparent. The department claims that processing times are calculated based on application volume and admission targets, which have been significantly reduced in recent months. However, this explanation has done little to reassure applicants or legal professionals. 

The possibility of mass cancellations is not without precedent. In 2012 and 2014, the federal government eliminated hundreds of thousands of applications in skilled worker and investor programs. If history repeats itself, thousands of families could find their hopes of permanent residence extinguished without recourse. 

Regarding concerns over Bill C-12, IRCC clarified that the legislation is not aimed at any specific group or situation. The department emphasized that decisions under such powers “would not be taken unilaterally,” and added, “We cannot speculate as to how or when the Government may wish to use these powers.” As we see it, the broader implications of such delays continue to raise serious questions about the future of Canada’s immigration system and the need for transparent, timely, and compassionate policy responses. 

There is no doubt in our mind that these newly published processing times are designed to prepare applicants and the public at large for mass cancellations of visa applications across multiple streams. This is yet another blow to the credibility and desirability of Canada as an immigrant destination. Despite the soon-to-be new law, we expect vigorous litigation on behalf of affected applicants who have invested their lives moving to Canada in the hope and expectation of obtaining Canadian permanent resident status. 

Today’s announcement represents, in effect, the end of the Caregivers pathway, the Agri-food stream, the Startup Visa stream, and the very important H&C stream. Thinking back, some of the most impactful work the firm had done on behalf of individual clients was supported by H&C applications: reuniting a mother with a young daughter who were separated across borders, saving a family of five from the Taliban, and many other examples of keeping or bringing families together.

We hope IRCC will re-think the practical “suspension” of the aforementioned immigration programs, especially for applicants who are currently in the queue, which raises legal questions with regard to damages suffered through detrimental reliance, among other possible heads of compensation.