Canada is Set to Transition to Online Visa Applications to reduce backlog.

In July of this year, the immigration application backlog reached 2.7 million. 

Today, the backlog has dropped to 2.4 million, with 1.1 million applications in process, and 1.3 million applications still in the pipeline.

In an effort to further reduce the backlog, and modernize the country’s immigration system, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) finally announced that they will be transitioning to online applications for most permanent immigration programs.

In March of this year, some candidates were able to submit their applications online because of the Permanent Residence Portal. This online portal allowed applicants to immediately receive confirmation that they have successfully submitted their application. Since then, the online portal has expanded and is available to most permanent residence program candidates.

Canada to Transition to Online Visa Applications: Timeline

The transition from paper-based applications to online applications will start on September 23, 2022 and will follow the schedule below. This means that if you are set to submit an application to any of the permanent residence programs below, you will need to do it after its implementation to be able to do so online. Paper-based applications received after the implementation dates will be returned to the applicant, except in qualified situations where the applicant is unable to submit online.

Here is the schedule below: