If you've been waiting for a while, it's possible that your file is stuck in the hands of an idle worker. I recommend taking things into your own hands. People have waited 3-4 years.
Here's what I did after waiting 17 months:
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Booked a non-refundable flight back home to see my grandparents. It gave me a deadline to sort things out by. Highly recommend doing this.
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Filled out the webform to expedite my application, with my grandma's surgery as the reason. Not sure if anyone saw my submission. Worth a shot nonetheless.
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Phoned the call centre repeatedly. They were on strike, so this was a hit or miss even during regular work hours. If they tell you it's "still within normal processing time", make a case for yourself. Call more than once — some reps are more helpful than others.
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Drove to the building where citizenship ceremonies are held, and realized it's also where paperwork gets processed. I asked a security guard if I could speak to someone. He couldn't help and turned me away.
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Back to calling. A service rep recommended printing out the webform I submitted, and mailing it to them... so I did. I printed 3 copies, mailed 1.
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Went back to the office building with the other 2 copies of my webform. I walked past the security guard, found their mailroom, and slid an envelope under the door.
I wanted to put the 3rd copy in the hands of a human, so I waited outside what looked like their office. A lady came out, walked past me without acknowledging me, responded with "we don't take outside mail", and left. She returned while waiting for her elevator to tell me that there's no point in waiting — she was the last person to leave the office.
It was 4:01 pm. If you try this, make sure to arrive before 4pm.
I followed her downstairs and told her my situation. She asked for my name.
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A few days later, I stopped hoping that she had somehow memorized my Chinese name without writing it down. I emailed the local member of parliament. She responded! Her assistant helped me check on the status of my application, and 2 weeks later, things started moving.
2 days before my flight, after paying for an expedited process at every single step, I finally got my passport and visa back.
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This post isn't entirely about how to get paperwork unstuck. It's also a reminder: you're never stuck. There's always something you can do.
The Waiting Place is not for you.