Immigration backlog - All options being considered to clear the backlog of applications

"Canada's backlog is around 300,000 applications and could take until 2017 to clear.
That's unfair to the applicants and inefficient for employers looking to fill gaps for skilled labour, Kenney said, since after five or six years people's skills may be outdated for what the market requires. Canada's immigration system must function faster and be more responsive to changing needs, he said."

Note: This mainly applies to applications submitted prior to February 2008.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/03/07/pol-immigration-backlog-kenney.html