IRCC could rely more on the CBSA travel history information. Many believe IRCC should. For now, HOWEVER, that does NOT appear likely to happen, at least not anytime soon.
This does not appear to be correct, at least as per:
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/agency-agence/reports-rapports/pia-efvp/atip-aiprp/thr-rav-eng.html
"If you are applying for Canadian Citizenship, you
do not need to request your Traveller History Report from the CBSA. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
(IRCC) can collect the report on your behalf when needed since consent to share information about the entry/exit information is no longer required. "
Also.
"
Data use by federal partners
The CBSA discloses entry and exit information we collect in accordance with legislative authorities to:
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the administration and enforcement of immigration and citizenship programs
- the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) for law enforcement purposes
- Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) for the administration of the Employment Insurance and Old Age Security programs
- the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for the administration of Canada’s child and family benefit programs"
Note: I did not suggest that IRCC does not use the CBSA travel history. In fact, in that post I described how the information is used:
As for individual entry-exit records maintained by CBSA, IRCC primarily uses that information ONLY to check the accuracy of what applicants submit, or in contested cases to challenge the applicant's account. What that means is that if the CBSA information more or less affirms what the applicant has declared, that will be a big factor in helping IRCC make an inference the applicant was present in Canada not just the days they went through border controls, but in the days between a known date of entry and the next reported date of exit.
In particular, for purposes of processing citizenship applications, PR card applications, and PR Travel Document applications, IRCC relies on the CBSA travel history to
verify/cross-check the information provided by clients.
As I noted, it could rely
more on the CBSA travel history. Many believe IRCC should rely on the CBSA to do more than just check the accuracy and completeness of the information applicants provide. But, again, there does not appear to be much if any indication IRCC is moving in that direction.
Note, for example, an applicant for citizenship cannot just make reference to "
see CBSA travel history" rather than fill in ALL dates of exit and entry for purposes of the physical presence calculation. Likewise for travel history in applications for PR card or PR TD. Applicants MUST report ALL dates of exit and entry, and do so ACCURATELY and COMPLETELY. While minor discrepancies with other information, which includes CBSA travel history, will not usually cause a serious problem, the extent to which IRCC perceives a substantial failure to accurately report all travel dates will have a big influence in whether there is RQ-related non-routine processing, and depending on the nature and scope of the applicant's failure to be an accurate reporter, can lead to a full-blown residency/presence case and all that entails.
In the latter regard, if IRCC sees that the CBSA travel history indicates dates the applicant was likely IN Canada that the applicant has reported being outside Canada, that will NOT, not generally, result in getting credit for additional days; that's still a discrepancy, indicating the applicant is NOT an accurate reporter of the facts, and depending on other factors, could actually be a significant consideration in exercising more skepticism about the applicant's information. That is, if the CBSA travel history shows more days in Canada than the applicant declares, that can actually cause problems. Because, again, IRCC is primarily using the CBSA travel history to check the veracity of the applicant's information.
Also Note: CBSA and IRCC are also engaged in expanding the use of the CBSA travel history for other purposes in other contexts. This is an ongoing, in development project. It includes things like triggering alerts for Foreign Nationals who overstay . . . and will likely be used (if this has not already been implemented) to flag PRs for elevated Port-of-Entry screening (based on length of absences from Canada).
But again, all PRs should be well aware that the burden of maintaining and reporting a complete travel history is on them. IRCC will not use the CBSA travel history to fill in dates for a PR. They will use it to determine the extent to which the PR has been accurate and complete.
