Service Canada recently reported that passport delivery times have returned to their usual processing speed before the pandemic.
According to a news release from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), Service Canada meets or exceeds delivery standards for most passport applications. Even a 12-day Public Service Alliance of Canada strike from April 19 to May 1 couldn’t deter the progress.
Almost all passports are delivered within the 10–20-day target, regardless of the application method. About 98% of issued tickets meet service standards.
This development comes after a year of high demand for new or renewed passports due to eased COVID-19 travel restrictions. Long lines and overnight queues were standard at passport offices across Canada.
ESDC has been working on improvements to prepare for an expected wave of renewals this summer, as passports issued in July 2013 with ten years of validity will soon expire.
These improvements ensure new Canadian citizens will be able to plan summer trips to visit loved ones using their new passports.
Enhancements to Passport Services in Canada
Passport Canada issued 852,589 passports in 2023 and 3,346,223 between April 2022 and March 2023. It anticipates issuing 4.3 to 4.9 million passports in the fiscal year 2023/2024, exclusively for Canadian citizens.
Service Canada has been offering online renewal to maintain service standards since May. Those with passports that expired within 15 years, lost, stolen, or damaged can submit documents online instead of visiting offices or mailing them.
This only applies to new citizens seeking their first Canadian passport.
Additionally, Service Canada has opened 7 new 10-day passport offices in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia. These offices aim to enhance accessibility and convenience.
Once an application is submitted, Canadians can track their status using the online passport application status checker. Since its launch on March 21, 2023, the online status checker has seen over 702,000 visits.
