'There's nothing left to do': Soon-to-be Canadians decry long waits for citizenship oath ceremonies

Updated Feb. 10, 2022:

Following an inquiry from CBC News,Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) says both Barua andVerbitskyi'sfamilies have been invited to take their oaths.

WhenRakhee Barua and her family's permanent residency (PR) cards expired last year, she said she didn't even considerrenewing them.

After all, the Bangladesh-born family, who came to Canada in 2016, had passed their Canadian citizenship exam months earlier, and had just one last step to take before becomingfull-fledged Canadian citizens: being sworn in at an oath ceremony, typicallyscheduled three to four months after passing the exam.

But almost a year later,Barua and her family are still waiting for an invitation to take their oath fromImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

"We were thinking, 'we'll get it next month, we'll get it next month, we'll get it next month,'" saidBarua's husband,Jewel Debnath, of the arduouswait for the invitation.

WATCH|Couple describes tearful wait for citizenship:

Couple describes tearful wait for citizenship oath

3 years ago

Duration 1:16

Montrealer Rakhee Barua says she can't visit her cancer-stricken mother in Bangladesh because of a year-long wait to take a Canadian citizenship oath.

The uncertainty weighs heavily on Barua, who can't travel to Bangladesh to be with her mother who has breast cancer due to her expired PR card and the delay on her status.

"My mother is sick. I cannot wait because I don't know what will happen."

Barua said hermother has been pleading for a visit before undergoing more treatment.

IRCC delays in scheduling the simple ceremony,which has been moved online due to COVID-19,has left thousands of Canadian hopefuls like Barua and her family in limbowaiting months, and even years, to become citizens.

"There's nothing left to do," said a frustrated Debnath of the citizenship process.

'I'm just waiting for that oath'

Because her PR card has expired, Baruawould not be allowed back into Canada after travelling overseas to visit her mother. Renewing the card costs $50 per person, and after looking into the process, she said the wait time is between five and six months due to the backlog at IRCC.

"Like us, many people are suffering," she said.

Oleksii Verbitskyi, a software developer from Ukraine, says his family has been waiting for more than two years for their Canadian citizenship, and he's spent 11 months of that time period waiting for a date to attend the oath ceremony.

"It's ridiculous, I have everything completed, I'm just waiting for that oath," saidVerbitskyi, who came to Canada with his wife and daughterin 2016 and passed the citizenship exam in March 2021. His youngest son was born in Montreal.

"It's important ... but it's[a] formality, to be honest."

After contacting the IRCCthrough online forms and emails, Verbitskyisays he still only receives boilerplate responses from the department. He says the lack of communication is frustrating.

"We live in the 21st century, you have online tools and everything," he said. "Give us something, some feedback, like some way to know."

60,000 approved applicants awaiting ceremony

Last year, Canada announced it would spend $85 million to plow through the backlog ofimmigration applications caused by COVID-19. On Monday,MinisterofImmigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSeanFrasersaid the government hopes to expand virtual citizenship ceremonies, as well asintroduce an electronic oath of citizenship to help speed up the process.

Fraser said there are currentlyaround60,000 people approved for citizenship who are waiting for a ceremony.

"We will be having conversations to ensure that we administer the system in a way that improves efficiency, but at the same time doesn't deny those people who want to take part in a formal ceremony and be welcomed into the Canadian family in that traditional way," the ministersaid.

But the president of Quebec's association of immigration lawyers, which goes by its French acronym, AQAADI, says there's no reason the process should be taking this long.

"Theoath is the end of the process, it's not a question of deciding anything, it's just to receive the documents," said Stphanie Valois. Theprocess took only a few weeks before the pandemic, she said.

"[People have] been waiting a year, more than a year, a year and a half ...It should definitely be addressed because there are no reasons," she said.

A responsibility to make Canada better

BothBaruaandVerbitskyiimmigrated to Canadawith the hope of giving their children a better life, and are eager to obtain citizen status.

"It's a very peaceful country It's known as the best country in the world," Barua said of Canada, smiling.

Verbitskyisays he loves living in the quaint suburb ofSainte-Anne-de-Bellevue in Montreal's West Island, and he touts the expertise of doctors who he says saved the life of his youngest child.

"For eternity, I will be grateful to Canada," he said, tearfully.

But Verbitskyisays calling out the inefficiencies in the country's immigration system is his civicduty, and he hopes it will make the process easier for other prospective immigrants and citizens.

"It'sour responsibility as loyal citizens to make [Canada] even better."