He’s been in Calgary for a decade and has been applying for citizenship for three years, but one local teenager is still waiting to officially become Canadian.
Will Baker, 17, is one of more than two million people caught up in the long backlog of citizenship.
His mother, Miffy, sent Baker the paperwork and application in the spring of 2019. Today, just months shy of his 18th birthday, Baker is still waiting for answers on when — or if — he’ll be accepted.
“It just shows that it’s underway,” Miffy told CTV News. “And it’s been going on since May 2019. I keep thinking I’m going to be patient and not be the person who complains because the government isn’t doing its job, but it’s been three years.”
Baker was adopted by Portland in 2012 after his birth mother passed away.
He previously used Canada’s visitor pass program, but is now without a pass or formal citizenship.
His family is also at a loss for solutions.
“He’s kind of a kid without a side and it’s really hard,” Miffy said. “I consider myself a fabulously intelligent person and it took all my brain power to get through (the application steps so far). I can’t imagine someone who has English as a second language trying to go through this process. “
The family says correspondence with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has been sparse.
They tried to visit agents in person and left dozens of voicemails and emails, many of which went unanswered.
The situation is especially problematic now that Baker is approaching adulthood. He cannot legally get a health card, rent an apartment, drive or apply for a job.
“If I don’t have these things, I can’t really function properly,” he said. “I do custom photography, but it’s just not the same. I don’t have a solid income and it’s hard to see my friends having that ability when I don’t.”
IRCC said officials did not receive Baker’s application until February 2021. They say it was lost in March in transit between processing offices, something that can sometimes happen due to human error.
Says IRCC will contact the family soon.
IRCC Concern
The latest IRCC figures show Canada’s immigration backlog has grown to 2.4 million people. Over 250,000 temporary and permanent residence and citizenship applications have been added to the pile in just one month.
The increased lag has previously led to frustration for those waiting to receive an app update. Long processing times and a lack of communication and transparency were some of the many issues highlighted by those CTV News spoke with.
For its part, IRCC says it has expedited the immigration process by using virtual citizenship tests and hiring new staff.
But experts say it could take a year or more for the federal agency to catch up on its backlog of applications.
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