New IRCC policy that eliminates visitor and Super Visa backlog
Last updated on July 3, 2023, 09:58 EDT (Toronto time)
IRCC published the details of the new temporary public policy on June 29, 2023, speeding up the processing of visitor visa and supervisa applications.
Originally, this public policy went into effect with the signature of Secretary of Immigration Sean Fraser on February 28, 2023 and is valid until December 31, 2023.
According to the latest available data, IRCC manages approximately 2.25 million immigration and visa applications.
Of these, 1.3 million are temporary visa applications, including study permits, visitor visas, supervise visas and work permits.
The new temporary IRCC policy aims to clean up the growing visitor visa and supervisa inventory to increase Canada’s appeal to visitors, families and business people.
As of now, this policy only applies to visitor visa or supervisa applications submitted on or before January 16, 2023.
Under this new policy, while processing an application for a visitor visa or supervisa, the visa officer is not allowed to assess whether a foreign national will leave Canada at the end of the authorized stay period.
jump to
This saves processing time by removing the extra task of reviewing the above information and results in clearing backlogs more quickly.
It is important to note that this particular reason has long been one of the most common reasons for visitor visa denial.
In addition, this new policy, for visitor visas only, also gives visa officers an exemption to waive “requirement for a foreign national to be inadmissible for financial reasons.”
This is also one of the most common denial reasons used by visa officers to deny visitor visa applications stating “an applicant does not have enough funds to support their stay in Canada”.
Facilitating the processing of existing applications in the inventory by lowering eligibility standards would prepare Canada for a fresh start and a return to pre-pandemic processing timelines, preserving our global competitiveness going forward.
Automated IRCC processing
The Canadian Immigration Service uses automated processing for administrative tasks to streamline and expedite the processing of temporary resident applications.
According to the Immigration Department, they have used advanced analytics and other automated technology to improve the processing of certain temporary applications.
The new automated tools only help sort and process requests, but never deny or suggest denials.
According to our sources, Canadian Immigration is currently using automated processing for visitor visas and visitor registration (extension), but more recently also for processing study permits using the same automation tools.
Previously, there were many concerns about using ‘CHINOOK’ to process applications and immigration experts say they have noticed Chinook denying a visa application.
However, the Immigration Department and Secretary of Immigration Sean Fraser have repeatedly stood by their position that an immigration officer always decides whether to approve or deny applications.
How do automation tools process temporary visa applications?
Once an application has been submitted, the tool sorts your application and determines whether it meets the main eligibility requirements.
If it qualifies, the program forwards it to an officer who checks eligibility and makes the final decision.
To sort applications, the algorithm uses machine learning and data from previous IRCC applications.
The tool helps eliminate repetitive and administrative tasks associated with evaluating each application.
It will assist in the processing of applications and the dissemination of decisions.
What can you do to make the visa application run smoothly through automation?
In order for the new automated tool to assess the eligibility of your application, you must:
1. Make sure you have submitted a complete application.
2. Include the necessary information on all forms.
3. Provide all supporting documentation in advance.
4. If your application contains anything unexpected or unusual, please provide an explanation letter.
5. Make your application and explanation letter as clear as possible.
The post New IRCC Policy Clearing Visitor and Super Visa Backlog appeared first on Immigration News Canada.
