Canada will digitize immigration applications

Canada will digitize immigration applications: The Canadian government’s Immigration Department has stated that it will switch to a purely digital application procedure for the bulk of people seeking permanent residence. Despite processing backlogs still plaguing the country’s system.

Additionally, IRCC has suggested exempting candidates who are already citizens of Canada from a required medical examination. If they fulfill specific requirements, this will apply to permanent or temporary residency applicants.

The majority of applicants for permanent residence now have access to the online application portal. According to a statement from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on Thursday.

On September 23, IRCC will start moving all of its permanent residency programs toward 100% digital application submissions. With other forms accessible for those who need accommodations.

Additionally, it said that removing obstacles to individuals already in the country from having to undergo medical exams would benefit roughly 180,000 applicants. By “helping them save time and money on the medical examination procedure and lowering wait periods on their applications.”

Given that India is the most common place of origin for permanent residents. Both policies expected to be advantageous to immigrants from that nation.

According to the 2021 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration. Indians made up 42,876 of the 184,606 total permanent residents accepted in 2020. China was the second-largest source nation, at 16,535.

“People—our customers—must be at the core of everything we do as we modernize our immigration system,” said Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Minister Sean Fraser.

Allocating resources where they’re needed and leveraging technology to streamline processing and simplify applications may help us welcome immigrants and citizens.

To provide predictability for applicants, the IRCC will publish “forward-looking estimates of the time required to complete an application.”

To further accelerate processing and provide immigrants with the experience they expect and deserve. The announcement said that IRCC is “striving towards a modernized and digitalized immigration system.”