The first thing I'll point out is that there are far fewer errors when people apply online, so we've been concurrently working to encourage new applicants to apply online. That way they're automatically entered into the system, their data is clean, for lack of a better word, and they have all the information necessary for the claim to immediately be processed automatically. However, as I said, it is largely with paper applications that each applicant who's missing information or has information gaps in, for example, residency or other information can receive support through ESDC to ensure they can provide that information as quickly as possible.
This presents a delay for individuals in some cases because the information they're looking for is difficult to access. Some of the descriptions I've heard from the department are that someone wants to demonstrate a period of residency in Canada, but they don't have any mail, they don't have any documents or they don't have anything to demonstrate that they resided in Canada for the missing period or gap. The department staff will work with that individual to determine what other alternative documents could be sufficient to demonstrate that gap.
Don't forget that if you start your OAS and have missing periods of time that you can't prove, it's going to reduce and drive down your monthly benefit forever. The department wants to make sure that OAS recipients can get their full allotment and their full entitlement based on their circumstance. That is a large portion of the cases that are on the waiting list.