Many temporary applications are now submitted to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC – formerly CIC) through their online portal. These applications can include work permits, study permits, and temporary resident visas, along with renewals of such documents.
Until now, utilizing the IRCC online portal could only be done if someone filed his or her application through that portal. Effective immediately, even applicants who filed using other methods – notably paper-based mail-in applications – can register their applications to their online account, and receive IRCC communications through the portal rather than by mail or email. There may be reasons to file applications other than through the IRCC portal, but applicants can now access the same information that can be obtained by those who filed through the portal. This will enhance the ability of applicants, and their counsel, to secure information about cases, and may alleviate the need to, for example, call the IRCC helpline, which can sometimes be a frustrating experience.
Further enhancements to IRCC’s online portal are expected to continue, and we will apprise readers as information becomes available.
The information in this article is for general purposes only, and not intended as legal advice for any particular situation.