Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has updated their instructions with regard to the method of filing inland immigration applications. Inland applications are made by those already in Canada who are either renewing some existing status, or who are seeking some form of new status (e.g. in limited cases, visitors can seek a work permit inland). Until now, any inland application could be submitted either online, or on paper.
IRCC has now advised that, effective immediately, the following applications made from within Canada, must be submitted online only.
- Applications to extend temporary residence status
- Applications for study or work permits
- Applications for renewals of study or work permits.
IRCC, however, has provided a list of exemptions. For those dealing primarily in the realm of work permits, some pertinent exemptions would include in the following work permit categories:
- C16 Francophone Mobility
- C20 Reciprocal Benefit
- C10 Significant Benefit
For a full listing of exemptions, please see https://bit.ly/2Mwi1rm.
Though in most cases, applicants are in any event utilizing the online system for inland applications, there have been, in some situations, benefits to applying on paper. Paper applications have been of value in situations where an applicant seeks maximization of their implied status period (due to longer processing times), and where an applicant is awaiting the outcome of an LMIA application. Such benefits will in essence disappear.
The information in this article is for general purposes only, and not intended as legal advice for any particular situation.