The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) is facing mounting pressure from a surge in immigration-related security screening requests, contributing to significant delays in the processing of applications, immigration lawyers say.
In its latest annual report, CSIS revealed it received more than 538,000 screening requests in 2024—nearly double the average annual volume prior to 2023, which hovered around 300,000. The intelligence agency acknowledged the growing backlog, stating that while applications are piling up, “the time required” will be taken to complete each one thoroughly.
The spike is partly attributed to a rising number of asylum seekers, all of whom must undergo security screening before advancing through the immigration system.
Immigration lawyers in British Columbia and Ontario report that many of their clients are experiencing prolonged delays, with little transparency about the cause or duration of the holdup.
Among those affected is Ali Abuhannoud, a Jordanian refugee who has been waiting since May 2024 for the result of his citizenship-related security screening—even though he had already been screened twice in earlier stages of his immigration process.
Lawyers and advocates are now calling for greater clarity and accountability from federal agencies, warning that the bottleneck is leaving families in limbo and undermining trust in the immigration system.