To manage the outbreak of the COVID-19 Canadian governmenthas restricted traveling from India. Health authorities have issued someguidelines and restrictions that limit the processing of visa applications.Current processing time is difficult to predict. For now, priority applicationsare for Canadian and permanent residents returning home, vulnerable groups, andwork permits for people who perform or support essential services.
Because of the pandemic, one has to submit the applicationaround 90 days after one has received the invitation.
High Commission of Canada in India tweeted, “Visa ProcessingDelays, due to increased number of cases of #COVID19 in India and localrestrictions in some areas, there will be a significant delay in the submissionof passports and return services. Please don’t book your travel tickets toCanada until you have received your passport with your visa.” The HighCommission added, “Processing times continue to be affected. We areprioritizing the applications from those people who are exempt from travelrestrictions. Thank you for your understanding, will continue to process theapplications soon.”
Last year, the Canadian Government has suspended theprocessing of the applications at 10 institutes. As a result, the students weredepressed and frustrated.
Students who are still waiting for the applications held aprotest in Chandigarh, India, in front of the office of the General Consulateof Canada and handed the applications to the members of staff.
One of the students told, “We are attending online classessince 2020, without having any surety we will have a visa or not.” The studentadded, “We have deposited money in those ten colleges. We are feeling,harassed, and depressed.”
According to the federal data issued by the CanadianGovernment, more than 1000 people who arrived in the country over the past fourweeks are tested positive for the coronavirus despite pre-departure testing.
Canadian Government has ordered the air travelers to spendthree days in a hotel at their expense and if tested negative they can completetheir 14-days quarantine at their home.