In 2023, Canada welcomed 471,550 new permanent residents, a number exceeded Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada(IRCC) immigration levels plan for the year.
This large number of newcomers means that Canada’s Immigration Department must process hundreds of thousands of applications for permanent residence (RP) each year – in addition to work and study permit applications.
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So how does the department handle these PR requests each year?
The process leading to the PR application
Before looking at how IRCC processes PR applications, it may be helpful for newcomers to review the process before applying for PR.
Most important here is the idea that most public relations programs (such as Express Entry managed programs, Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) and other economic programs) operate on a “candidate-candidate” system. This means that new arrivals first submit an applicant profile to the immigration department (e.g. through the Express Entry pool), and if they qualify, they will receive a invitation to apply (ITA) for public relations. Once newcomers submit their application after receiving an IPD, IRCC will then begin processing.
For programs managed by Express Entry (for example), this can be broken down into the following steps:
- Submit a candidate profile to the Express Entry pool;
- Receive an ITA; And
- Respond to the ITA with a PR request within the 60-day deadline.
Note: Other immigration pathways (such as family sponsorship) may skip the application process and proceed directly to the application processing phase.
How does IRCC process my PR applications?
According to the Auditor General’s report on IRCC’s processing of applications, the way the Department of Immigration processes PR applications can be broken down into the following steps:
Receipt of the application
This is the simple process of receiving a newcomer’s application after responding to their ITA. A file is created in the ministry’s Global Case Management System (GCMS).
Verification and preparation of documents
During this phase, the ministry assesses whether all necessary documents have been provided (i.e.: police certificate, proof of funds, etc.). Additionally, the ministry here prepares the documents for the next stage, where it will determine the eligibility of the application. If documents are missing or incomplete, IRCC says it will return the application to the applicant.
Although some public relations programs allow candidates to resubmit their application, if it turns out to be incomplete, programs managed by Express Entry (the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)) do not. According to the IRCC webpage, in these cases, applicants will have their application rejected, their fees refunded and will have to start the entire process again.
Eligibility Assessment
Here, the immigration department assesses the application against the program standards, to ensure that all conditions and eligibility criteria are met. If an application fails here, IRCC will categorically refuse the application, forcing applicants to start the process again.
Admissibility assessment
During this phase, IRCC will assess whether an application meets the eligibility criteria for PR. These are additional eligibility criteria where applicants must pass security and criminality checks to be deemed eligible to come to Canada.
Additionally, applicants must pass an immigration medical exam to ensure they do not have any health conditions that would strain Canada’s socialized medical care system.
If candidates are found medically Or criminally inadmissible, IRCC says it will deny their application, requiring the applicant to start the entire process again.
Maintenance (if necessary)
At this point, an application is reviewed again to determine basic eligibility and admissibility requirements.
If a interview is required, applicants will be asked to come to an IRCC office to speak with an immigration officer. According to IRCC, topics covered here could range from verifying the information contained in the PR application, to verifying the identity of an applicant (or their family) and resolving any other concerns that an officer might have regarding the request.
Under the three programs managed by Express Entry, the selection criteria are more objective, which generally results in the need for an interview being removed. Submitting a complete file maximizes the candidate’s chances of not being called for an interview.
Success
If all the above steps are successful, the application will be accepted and the applicant will be given PR status, after which they will be free to arrive and settle in Canada. To learn more about what to do after receiving PR, visit our dedicated webpage. here.
How can I request more information about the processing of my request?
Whether before or after receiving a decision on your application, applicants to any of IRCC’s programs are free to request notes on how immigration officers process their application.
These notes are known as GCMS notes and are the default records that the department keeps when processing an application through its system. Information available through these notes includes:
- When the application has been opened by an immigration officer;
- The code of the immigration officer processing the application;
- Application status at time of application, and more.
For more information on receiving GCMS grades, find our dedicated webpage here.
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