When immigration purposes take longer than anticipated, one frequent motive is safety screening. A number of authorities companies are concerned on this course of, and one of many organizations that gives oversight is the Nationwide Safety and Intelligence Assessment Company (the “NSIRA”).
The NSIRA is an unbiased overview physique created by Parliament in 2019. Its position is to supervise the nationwide safety and intelligence actions of federal companies such because the Canada Border Companies Company (“CBSA”), the Canadian Safety Intelligence Service (“CSIS”), and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (“RCMP”).
This contains reviewing how these companies deal with immigration and citizenship safety screening.
All immigration and citizenship purposes contain background checks. In lots of circumstances, that is simple and accomplished shortly. Nevertheless, for some candidates, the method can contain:
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CBSA: verifying admissibility to Canada;
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CSIS: conducting safety assessments the place potential dangers are recognized;
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RCMP: checking regulation enforcement data.
If further info is required, purposes might stay below overview for an prolonged interval.
Position of the NSIRA
The NSIRA doesn’t course of purposes or make immigration selections. As an alternative, its job is to overview whether or not the actions of companies like CBSA and CSIS are lawful, affordable, and carried out correctly.
Along with broad oversight, the NSIRA additionally investigates complaints. This contains complaints associated to safety screening in immigration, refugee, or citizenship purposes. For instance, if somebody believes they have been handled unfairly or that their case was mishandled by CSIS or CBSA throughout safety screening, they will carry a grievance to NSIRA.
In its public stories, the NSIRA has famous that:
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delays can happen when companies take a very long time to finish safety checks;
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info shared with different international locations should observe strict guidelines to guard candidates;
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candidates will not be at all times given clear explanations when safety considerations have an effect on their case.
These findings assist be certain that immigration screening practices stay topic to accountability and overview.
On September 29, 2025, the NSIRA despatched the next letter to these with complaints:
