Canadian Citizenship Certificate backlog hits 136,000, wait time now nearly 3 years
Canada's backlog for citizenship certificates has reached 136,000, with wait times extending to over 33 months. The surge is attributed to recent legislative changes regarding citizenship-by-descent and increased interest from US citizens.
Why it matters
The administrative strain highlights the challenges of managing immigration policy in response to shifting political climates and legislative updates.
More than 136,000 people are now waiting for Canada to process applications for proof of citizenship, with estimated wait times exceeding 33 months following changes to the country's citizenship-by-descent rules, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada data.The backlog has grown by about 14,000 applications since August, while the estimated processing time has risen from 25 months to more than 33 months. Applicants outside Canada and the US could face another three to four months of waiting, according to the IRCC estimate.The surge follows the introduction of Bill C-3 in December 2025, which removed the first-generation limit on citizenship by descent.
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