Alexandra Miekus - 04 April, 2022
Canada provided an update on immigration processing times, Quebec announced the implementation of new measures under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and new border regulations come into force.
Canada's Immigration Minister Sean Fraser has made an important announcement regarding the government's online application processing time tool on March 31.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) clients will now have access to more accurate estimates of how long it will take to process their applications. Processing times have worsened since the beginning of the pandemic and have caused a great deal of frustration for immigrants waiting for a response on their file.
In order to give applicants a better idea of how long they can expect to wait and to allow them to make plans based on a more accurate timetable, the majority of permanent residence and citizenship offices will now operate on a dynamic processing time system. Each week, new calculations will be posted based on the previous six months' data.
The new processing time estimates will take into account the volumes of applications processed, as well as the latest operational realities.
This announced upgrade to the government website is part of IRCC's efforts to modernize the immigration system. These efforts include the launch of a new digital application status tracking system that makes it easier for some family class applicants to check the status of their applications online, as well as the ability to hold virtual citizenship ceremonies.
On April 1, Jean Boulet, Quebec's Minister of Immigration, announced the upcoming implementation of the International Mobility Program Plus (IMP+), as well as the coming into force of changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).
Effective May 24, 2022, the TFWP facilitated LMIA processing list will be expanded to include 65 new National Occupation Classification (NOC) level C occupations. This list had previously only included skilled occupations. These measures stem from the agreement reached on August 4, 2021 between Ottawa and Quebec to facilitate the arrival of foreign workers to support businesses facing ongoing labour shortages.
Finally, as of April 1, vaccinated travellers will no longer be required to undergo a COVID-19 test to enter Canada. It's a significant change to the border-related measures Canada has had in place since the early days of the pandemic two years ago. Travellers could, however, still be tested randomly upon arrival in Canada.
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