Immigration lawyers say rising number of CSIS security screenings causing delays
OTTAWA — The Canadian Security Intelligence Service says it’s dealing with a growing number of immigration security screening requests — and immigration lawyers say their clients are coping with long delays as a result.
In its new annual report, the intelligence agency says it received more than 538,000 screening requests from immigration and border officials in 2024, a significant increase over the roughly 300,000 screening requests it received annually before 2023.
The report says that while there “continues to be a high volume of applications awaiting security screening,” the intelligence agency will “take the time required” to complete them.
The increase in screening requests is being driven in part by a spike in the number of asylum seekers coming to Canada, all of whom must be screened.
