Again... Front-End Security Screening
- Thread starter Mancini
- Start date
It's good to hear your fess is cleared, what's next now any updates,did you confused with IRB have they received it
R u still in less complex or IRB will schedule hearning. Kindly update on your case
Hi @Worried but hopeful and @newclaiment
Yes, luckily it's all over. In total, it took me 2 years to receive the NOD without a hearing. My case was identified as Less Complex. Still, I received the NOD 21 months after my case was referred to IRB and 14 months after I received the letter requesting me to submit the evidence. I am from a war-torn country.
The FESS is perhaps the major step where maybe 99% of the claims get stuck. It is normal. As of the end of September, there are over 296 thousand refugee claims pending with IRB. These are crazy figures, never seen throughout Canada's history. In addition, there are over 900 thousand PR applications. There are around 260 thousand citizenship applications. In total, there are over 2.2 million applications, all of them need security screening/clearance at some point of the application.
There are claimants who still receive the NOD within 7-12 months. This is NOT the rule, definitely not in the last 24 months. IRB are doing more than ever. By comparison, in 2023, IRB processed around 3,500 claim per month. This increased to 6,500 claim per month in 2025 (+85% increase), yet, the backlog keeps growing. Towards the end of 2025, the total number of pending claims before IRB will be at least 320 thousand claims. At this pace (6,500 claims per month), it will take IRB approximately 5 years to clear the backlog, provided no additional claims are submitted during these 5 years!!
Refugee claims continue to pile up, and Canada is 8 months away from hosting some World Cup activities. There is a big concern that perhaps thousands, maybe tens of thousands, will arrive in Canada as fans of their national teams but will end up claiming asylum. A similar thing happened in 1990 World Cup, thousands of Egyptians fans arrived in Italy, none returned to Egypt!! (No offence to Egyptians, but this is a fact).
In addition to the 'surprising' increase of refugee claims, there are hundreds of thousands of international 'students' (possibly over 800 thousand 'students'), and there are over 1.5 million workers with temporary work permits. In total, there are over 3,025,000 'temporary' residents in Canada as of Sep 2025 compared to 1.5 million in Q1 of 2022. (These figures are from Statistics Canada).
I am from a war-torn country, yet it took me 2 years to be accepted as a protected person. The 'funny' thing is that the vast majority of refugee claims come from somehow 'stable' countries.
For example, as of end of June 2025, among the 287 thousand refugee claims, there are 41,000 claims from India (in addition to 11,000 processed in 2023 and 2024), 25,000 from Mexico (in addition to 22,000 processed in 2023 and 2024), 27,000 from Haiti (in addition to 6,000 processed in 2023 and 2024), 20,000 from Bangladesh, 10,000 from Columbia (in addition to 8,000 processed in 2023 and 2024), 10,000 from Iran (in addition to 9,000 processed in 2023 and 2024), 9,000 from Ghana. 2,500 from Turkey (11,000 processed in 2023 and 2024), and 22,000 from Nigeria (5,000 processed in 2023 and 2024). These are not war-torn countries. (These figures are from IRB website).
IRCC is definitely facing unprecedented challenges dealing with all these figures. One of the objectives of the revised estimated processing times is definitely to discourage people from claiming asylum in Canada. There are already around 500 thousands in Canada (either refugee claimants/ protected persons or failed refugee claimants). With the economy in recession, the mounting pressure on infrastructure (housing, healthcare, education, etc.) and the rising unemployment, it is only getting worse.
Yes, luckily it's all over. In total, it took me 2 years to receive the NOD without a hearing. My case was identified as Less Complex. Still, I received the NOD 21 months after my case was referred to IRB and 14 months after I received the letter requesting me to submit the evidence. I am from a war-torn country.
The FESS is perhaps the major step where maybe 99% of the claims get stuck. It is normal. As of the end of September, there are over 296 thousand refugee claims pending with IRB. These are crazy figures, never seen throughout Canada's history. In addition, there are over 900 thousand PR applications. There are around 260 thousand citizenship applications. In total, there are over 2.2 million applications, all of them need security screening/clearance at some point of the application.
There are claimants who still receive the NOD within 7-12 months. This is NOT the rule, definitely not in the last 24 months. IRB are doing more than ever. By comparison, in 2023, IRB processed around 3,500 claim per month. This increased to 6,500 claim per month in 2025 (+85% increase), yet, the backlog keeps growing. Towards the end of 2025, the total number of pending claims before IRB will be at least 320 thousand claims. At this pace (6,500 claims per month), it will take IRB approximately 5 years to clear the backlog, provided no additional claims are submitted during these 5 years!!
Refugee claims continue to pile up, and Canada is 8 months away from hosting some World Cup activities. There is a big concern that perhaps thousands, maybe tens of thousands, will arrive in Canada as fans of their national teams but will end up claiming asylum. A similar thing happened in 1990 World Cup, thousands of Egyptians fans arrived in Italy, none returned to Egypt!! (No offence to Egyptians, but this is a fact).
In addition to the 'surprising' increase of refugee claims, there are hundreds of thousands of international 'students' (possibly over 800 thousand 'students'), and there are over 1.5 million workers with temporary work permits. In total, there are over 3,025,000 'temporary' residents in Canada as of Sep 2025 compared to 1.5 million in Q1 of 2022. (These figures are from Statistics Canada).
I am from a war-torn country, yet it took me 2 years to be accepted as a protected person. The 'funny' thing is that the vast majority of refugee claims come from somehow 'stable' countries.
For example, as of end of June 2025, among the 287 thousand refugee claims, there are 41,000 claims from India (in addition to 11,000 processed in 2023 and 2024), 25,000 from Mexico (in addition to 22,000 processed in 2023 and 2024), 27,000 from Haiti (in addition to 6,000 processed in 2023 and 2024), 20,000 from Bangladesh, 10,000 from Columbia (in addition to 8,000 processed in 2023 and 2024), 10,000 from Iran (in addition to 9,000 processed in 2023 and 2024), 9,000 from Ghana. 2,500 from Turkey (11,000 processed in 2023 and 2024), and 22,000 from Nigeria (5,000 processed in 2023 and 2024). These are not war-torn countries. (These figures are from IRB website).
IRCC is definitely facing unprecedented challenges dealing with all these figures. One of the objectives of the revised estimated processing times is definitely to discourage people from claiming asylum in Canada. There are already around 500 thousands in Canada (either refugee claimants/ protected persons or failed refugee claimants). With the economy in recession, the mounting pressure on infrastructure (housing, healthcare, education, etc.) and the rising unemployment, it is only getting worse.
So glad to hear that you have been accepted without the need for a hearing.
I am assuming the steps to contact CBSA about FESS that I have given you, helped you?
Congrats @Mancini !
I have hard time understanding the bureaucratic rigidity of IRB and why they do not defer claims from stable countries like India and Mexico. Yesterday, I listened to immigration lawyers in the youtube discussing current immigration crisis and they shared concerns about the huge backlog of refugee claims and how IRB should fast track approvals for claims from war-torn countries, and set aside claims from stable countries. This would significantly reduce volume of the backlog. In addition, one of the lawyers mentioned that less complex claims are taking more time in western region (around 1.5-2 years) which should not be the case. If IRB continue operating like this, the backlog will grow to nonsustainable levels and the system will become more nonfunctional.
my fess also pending since 2022 can you tell me what i do now how to complte this contact to cbsa wht i do
I am not sure why your FESS's been pending so far, which province did you make your claim? also have you tried the steps I have given you earlier?
I don’t now but my lawyer say irb waiting for your fess My case in ontarioI am not sure why your FESS's been pending so far, which province did you make your claim? also have you tried the steps I have given you earlier?
Congratulations to you and your family, really glad to hear about your succession. I need your opinion regarding 2 things fess and less complex
1 How much time it took to receive NOD after clearing up your fess (after fess completion how much case could be completed 70,80,90%)
2 if we did not get less complex notice before fess clearance can we expect to get less complex after fess completion or we should consider it will go in full hearning.
Yes, apparently it helped. Thank you so much.
Actually I am not 100% sure if requesting ATIP from CBSA was the decisive factor.
I heard stories that for some claimants it takes 2-3 years or even more to get FESS completed.
I heard that some claimants did send ATIP and waited months without response from CBSA. Maybe it was my luck.
The one thing that is 100% certain is that CBSA/IRB/IRCC are facing serious challenges with these huge volumes..
Good luck guys!
