18 years?? Wow, I thought my wait was long ....
I played hockey in the States for years on a P1 work visa, so I thought the application for permanent residency would be a breeze. Man, was I wrong. There were a ton of hoops to jump through, lots of needles, fingerprints, interviews, and money spent. It took me well over a year, but it was a price I was willing to pay to live here legally.
The process does need to be simplified. I speak English, and was quite familiar with everything due to living here for years prior to applying, and I even found it kind of difficult and cumbersome. I couldn't imagine being completely foreign to the country, and not speaking English. It would be a daunting task for sure.
Having said all of that, there does have to be a stringent process in place, imo. The borders can't be wide open for anyone and everyone to just come as they please.