Ottawa

Canada's largest strike by federal workers is nearing its third week, causing a backlog in immigration services and leaving thousands of people in limbo. 

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The strike, which began on April 19, has affected everyone from migrant workers to sponsored relatives, from foreign students to refugee claimants whose hearings have been cancelled. 

Reuters reports that while wages are a primary sticking point for the 155,000 federal public servants on strike, the union is also demanding remote work be included in its collective agreement. Other important sticking points during the negotiations include who determines remote work regulations, contracts, and seniority during layoffs.

Since 2021, the union and government have been negotiating a new contract. The union claims its members need assistance with rising living costs, while the government claims it wants an agreement that is fair to both the union and taxpayers.

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Both sides agree that members should be paid more but disagree on how much. The government has declared officially that it will not grant a rise of more than 9 percent over three years, whereas the union seeks a greater rise.

Strike threatens to hamper growth

The delay caused by the strike is putting pressure on an already backlogged immigration system trying to catch up with pandemic delays.

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Canada has raised its immigration target to a record 500,000 additional permanent residents per year by 2025 to support sectors with labour shortages, ranging from healthcare to construction. However, some would-be newcomers continue to wait abroad, while others have been left wondering whether their permits will expire. 

The strike comes at a time when Canada's reduced birth rate makes immigration a major engine of economic growth, and a malfunctioning immigration system might impede efforts to attract smart immigrants.

Tens of thousands of files have not been processed as a result of the strike, according to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Minister Sean Fraser. And the longer the strike continues, the more serious the consequences will be. 

Reuters quotes Frazer as saying: "We’re going to continue to work to identify priority areas where people lives may be in danger to ensure we can still maintain those essential functions." 

As of February 1 2022, Canada had a logjam of more than 1.8 million immigration petitions, according to data from its immigration department. This included 519,030 petitions for permanent residence, 848,598 applications for temporary residency and 448,000 applicants for Canadian citizenship.

However, immigration department officials whose jobs have been disrupted by the strike were unable to provide specifics on the strike's effects on immigration services. 

With no end in sight to the strike, the question that many are asking - how long is the wait for migrating to Canada?

(With agency inputs)