Demand for Canadian Citizenship Certificates Soars Past 120,000 Backlog as Processing Times Stretch to 25 Months

OTTAWA, ON — An investigative report by CBC News revealed that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is confronting an unprecedented administrative backlog of more than 120,000 applications for Canadian citizenship certificates, pushing standard processing times from 12 months up to 25 months.

Surging Demand and Legislative Catalysts

The dramatic spike in certificate applications follows statutory amendments passed by Parliament reforming the first-generation limit on Canadian citizenship by descent:

• Application Backlog Volume: Official IRCC statistical datasets confirmed that active applications for "Proof of Citizenship" certificates surpassed 120,000 files in August 2026, representing a 140 per cent increase compared to historical annual averages.
• Cross-Border Inflow from the U.S.: Over 65 per cent of the surge originates from applicants residing in the United States, driven by American citizens claiming Canadian nationality through second-generation descent following recent Ontario Superior Court and federal statutory updates.
• Processing Delays: Applicants seeking proof of citizenship to obtain Canadian passports, register for provincial healthcare, or enroll in Canadian universities face average processing wait times stretching between 22 and 25 months.

"The demand for Canadian citizenship proof has skyrocketed following necessary statutory reforms to ensure fairness for families born abroad," IRCC departmental officials stated in response to parliamentary inquiries. "We are automating intake verification and shifting operational resources to reduce wait times while maintaining rigorous identity verification standards."

Constituent Impact and Passport Processing

The backlog has created significant bottlenecks for dual citizens seeking to relocate to Canada for employment or higher education. Because Passport Canada requires a certified citizenship certificate before issuing a Canadian passport to individuals born abroad, thousands of applicants have been left in administrative limbo.

Immigration attorneys and cross-border trade organizations have urged the federal government to establish an urgent expedited processing channel for specialized workers and students with confirmed academic or employment offers.

Parliamentary Review and Departmental Modernization

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration announced plans to hold special oversight hearings when Parliament returns in September, examining IRCC staffing allocations and the rollout of digital certificate verification portals to clear the backlogged files by late 2027.