The delays occur for various reasons. Some individuals file their asylum claim when they arrive at the point of entry, either at an airport or a border crossing. Sometimes people file it several weeks or months later. In these cases, the individuals have already been here for some time when they file their claim.
Claimants must obtain certain documentation, namely pieces of identification or documents related to the evidence they intend to file. If they have to obtain this evidence from their country of origin, it may take a few weeks or even months before they receive it.
When the file is ready to be heard, the registrar puts it on the schedule. The applicant must, of course, find a lawyer. In some cases, legal aid certificates are required.
Several months may have elapsed between the time that the file is begun and the time that the individual is heard by a commissioner, in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver or in any other city where the hearings are held.