Maple News reports that Canada’s federal government is significantly expanding its immigration processing capabilities to support faster family reunification. The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) office in Sydney, Nova Scotia, will add new office space and onboard 62 additional employees. This move is designed to increase the speed and efficiency of processing family class immigration applications, which include spousal, common-law, conjugal partner, and child sponsorships.
This expansion comes in response to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as growing application backlogs across several immigration categories. The new recruits will focus primarily on outland family class applications, helping IRCC return to its pre-pandemic processing standard of 12 months for spousal sponsorships.
Currently, the Sydney Case Processing Centre is operating at just 30% capacity due to health and safety restrictions. The additional workspace will allow more employees to return to the office and enable the department to scale operations in a safer and more efficient environment.
The lease on the new office space is initially set for one year, offering IRCC the flexibility to reassess its long-term operational needs as the post-pandemic landscape evolves.
Canada’s Immigration Minister, Marco Mendicino, emphasized the importance of this expansion, noting its dual benefit of accelerating application processing while creating economic opportunities for the local community. “Our Sydney office continues to play a vital role in building a stronger Canada through immigration,” he said, acknowledging the dedication of local public servants.
Local politicians have also welcomed the announcement. Jaime Battiste, Member of Parliament for Sydney–Victoria, highlighted how the expansion will boost local employment and support regional growth. Meanwhile, MP Mike Kelloway of Cape Breton–Canso praised the role of Cape Breton residents in Canada’s immigration system, saying the upgrade will help increase their capacity to welcome more newcomers.
The Sydney Processing Centre is a key facility in Canada’s immigration infrastructure, handling a broad range of family-based immigration applications. In addition to spousal and partner sponsorships, it deals with applications for dependent and adopted children as well as other eligible relatives under the family class.
Maple News will continue monitoring updates on Canada’s immigration policies and their impact on families across the country and abroad.