On May 1, a tentative agreement between union workers and the Treasury Board concluded the national strike, which affected Canada’s immigration system.
Canada’s public service workers’ union, the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) joined a nationwide strike to press for their demands on April 19, 2023. Over 155,000 workers, including those in Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) were on strike. It affected Canada’s immigration services, causing indefinite delays in the processing of applications.
The strike impacted regular draws for candidates seeking permanent immigration through International Experience Canada, though an Express Entry draw did take place during the strike. There was a partial or complete impact on certain services by IRCC:
- Application processing
- Citizenship ceremonies
- In-person appointments
- In-Canada passport services
The Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) reported multiple disturbances in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program besides biometrics collections. The disruptions to TFWP were mainly because of delays in Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) reviews by the ESDC. The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) communicated through its website that it may take some time before all services return to normal.
