Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has reported a substantial increase in service fee reimbursements, reaching $1.68 million in the last fiscal year compared to just $72,000 in the previous period. This surge stems from the implementation of the Service Fees Act in 2021, which mandates automatic refunds when processing times exceed standard deadlines. The policy offers reimbursement of 25-50% based on the delay duration, with processing times ranging from 2 to 8 weeks. Immigration experts note this unprecedented move, though concerns persist about overall service quality and communication challenges within IRCC.
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