• Posted 01-Oct-2020

IRCC gradually resuming in – person services

The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) have started putting plans in place on how to provide in-person service for immigration candidates amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

The IRCC stated that the following in-person services will be considered:

• Services related to asylum: Places such as Niagara Falls, Hamilton, Edmonton and Calgary will gradually re-start certain services related to asylum. The IRCC stated that immigration candidates will be notified via post using Canada post’s online service. The asylum related services will include biometric capturing, submission or collection of relevant documents as well as interview. The IRCC further stated that provided everything goes well during the initial period, more in-person offices will be opened in Etobicoke, Montreal and Vancouver (Hornby).
• Services related to permanent residence: The IRCC stated that its offices located in Quebec, Montreal, Ontario and Etobicoke will be reopened. The IRCC stated that all those that are yet to carry out their interviews for permanent residence or even collect their permanent residence card will be contacted via email to schedule an appointment.
• Services related to citizenship knowledge: The IRCC stated that it will send out emails notifying selected applicants about citizenship hearings as well as citizenship knowledge re-testing.

According to the IRCC, immigration candidates must have been scheduled for an in-person appointment in order for them to use this service. The IRCC went further to state that there might be some delay in biometric capturing for people that are living in areas where there has been many delays in receiving appointment calls may have to wait longer.

The IRCC warned that unless a candidate has received an appointment via invitation, they should not bother to go to any of the Service Canada Centres. 

According to the IRCC, there would be adequate health checks at the various in-person locations.

This development is coming after months of a total shutdown of offices by the IRCC thereby carrying out the necessary services virtually.

The IRCC has restated its commitment towards working with the various health agencies of Canada as well as abiding by the relevant health regulations in the process of gradual resumption of in-person centers. The IRCC also stated that all the offices where in-person service will be thoroughly monitored to ensure that they abide by the health regulations.