Updated as of July 6, 2016
Effective July 5, 2016, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has put special measures in place to minimize the impact on the processing of applications in the event of an interruption in Canada Post Corporation mail services. This affects the use of all mail services across Canada (first class mail, Xpresspost, Priority courier, Registered Mail) and Canada Post receiving agent locations.
IRCC will hold all non-urgent documents normally sent by mail until IRCC resumes using Canada Post services to avoid the risk of it not being processed by Canada Post in the event of a postal service disruption. Certain IRCC authorized cheques (such as refunds and resettlement support payments) will not be held and will be sent by courier or through other arrangements, as available.
If possible, you should apply online and upload electronic copies of documents instead of submitting paper applications.
When IRCC resumes using Canada Post services, we will process paper applications received during the special measures on a “first in, first out” basis. We will use the postage stamp data to set up this processing order.
All statutory and legislative requirements remain in effect. In most cases, deadlines will not be extended because of this interruption to mail services.
Our online application system and communication tools are available at all times before, during and after an interruption to mail services.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/notices/2016-07-06.asp