(OTTAWA) The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (SCRS) claims to process an increasing number of immigration security control requests, which leads to long time for immigration lawyers.
In its latest annual report, the intelligence agency indicates that it has received more than 538,000 security control requests from immigration agents and border services in 2024. A significant increase in the number of requests began to be noted in 2023, with more than 493,200 requests received. Previously, the SCRS had received around 300,000 security control requests per year in the previous five years.
The latest SCRS report indicates that, even if the volume of requests awaiting security control remains high, the intelligence agency will take the time necessary to treat them. Ali Abuhannoud, a Jordanian refugee who asked for Canadian citizenship, said that he has been waiting for the result of his security check since May 2024, after submitting his request in July 2023.
“I don’t know what they control, but you can imagine the stress and anxiety that causes me,” he told the Canadian press from Halifax.
Abuhannoud said it was the third time he has submitted to the security control process. He explained that he was checked for the first time when he arrived in Canada as a refugee in 2018, then a second time when he asked for the permanent residence.
He explained that he had fled to Canada because of his “homophobic family” and fears for his life.
The increase in control requests is partly due to the increase in the number of asylum seekers arriving in Canada, which must all be checked.
Immigration and borders can ask the SCRS to carry out a security check in the context of a visa or citizenship request. The Federal Immigration Ministry makes a final eligibility decision according to this control.
Immigration lawyers in British Columbia and Ontario have told the Canadian press that more and more their customers suffer prolonged delays due to security checks, without anyone explaining the reason.
“The government constantly repeats us that checks of history by third parties are necessary and that they take time, which we understand,” said Adrienne Smith, a lawyer specializing in immigration to Toronto.
“But our problem is that we do not see what measures the government takes to justify this delay. »»
Will Tao, a lawyer specializing in immigration in Burnaby, British Columbia, reported that his office had started to receive an influx of calls for immigration requests delayed by security checks in January 2024.
“The requests submitted to more rigorous security checks came from countries that I would describe as geopolitical relatives of a concern for Canada,” said Tao.
He said that these countries include countries in the Middle East, such as Jordan, as well as Ukraine, Russia, China, Iran and, “in some cases”, India.
“The rules of the game have changed. As we know, because applicants, for example, who were permanent residents in Canada years ago, or who had visas for many years, coming and coming for 15, 20 or 30 years, are suddenly taken in this situation, “said Tao.
The SCRS has declined an interview request.
SCRS spokesperson Magali Hébert said in an email that the filtering program is “an essential national security function of Canada”.
Mme Hébert said that the SCRS works “with diligence” to assess the high volume of filtering requests.
“The SCRS and its partners in terms of security filtering continue to take the necessary time, taking into account the information available at that time, to process each file with seriousness and ensure the security of Canada and its citizens, in accordance with the security filter mandate provided by the SCRS Act “Added Mr.me Hébert.
A “lack of motivation” denounced
The SCRS 2024 report indicates that the need to filter all requests from Gaza due to the presence of Hamas in this region “led to a significant increase” of the demand for filtering personnel services and resources.
The SCRS claims to have also “proactively prioritized” requests from Lebanon, in anticipation of a possible climbing of the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel.
The SCRS, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency (ASFC) are currently examining the immigration control process after the SCRS submitted a father and his son, Ahmed and Mostafa Eldidi, to security control before they are accused of offenses related to Islamic State terrorism in July 2024.
The report indicates that the SCRS carried out security checks on the basis of the information received at the time.
Tao said that with the federal government’s desire to reduce the number of permanent and temporary immigrants arriving in Canada, he does not think that it is inclined to resolved the backlog of security requests.
“I see a […] Lack of motivation to process this file, ”said Tao.
Mr. Abuhannoud said he had seen friends who had applied after he obtained citizenship before him.
“I feel like I am punished by something I couldn’t even choose. I did not choose where I come from, he said. I chose to come here for freedom, freedom of expression, for all these great values, but I have the impression of being punished for something that my parents believe. »»
