Here is what I know. My agency never stopped working in Bulgaria. Their clients all received referrals during the slow down and brought home their children (including mine!) Now, I do not believe they have received a referral under the new regime, but that is because they had no one in the cue - no one in process with their dossier or a just submitted dossier. Their Bulgarian agency has received referrals for their clients in other countries, that had dossiers in the cue. I read some other news articles that they are making around 15 matches a week, and they are trying to increase that number.
Given there are around 10,000 children in Bulgarian orphanages, and probably 6,000 under the age of 5, there are far more healthy children than waiting parents.
The stated wait time right now is 12 months from dossier submission to bringing home a child. I would think that is pretty correct. Once you have your match, you are bringing home your child in 2 1/2 - 3 months. So, assuming 1 month for translation, another to get registered, you are in the matching cue for about 6 months.
It took me 2 years to bring home my second DD, and that was when they were only letting out 100 kids per year, so 3 years under this new system seems crazy, unless your agency is inexperienced or Canada is very different than the US.
A year ago I told people not to go to Bulgaria because the MOJ was not letting out kids. Now that he has been fired, and the new MOJ lived in Bulgarian orphanages for several years, and I have read many of her interviews, I think Bulgaria is the best place to go right now for a healthy child. There are so many waiting kids. They are beautiful and talented (at least mine are!
) and it is a very easy process compared to most countries.
Good luck