Canada’s Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has unveiled plans to enhance the efficiency of processing work permit extensions and post-graduation work permits (PGWPs) through the expanded use of ‘automation technologies.’ This development aims to provide significant relief to applicants, particularly amidst substantial backlogs in PGWP and work permit extension processing.
The introduction of new automated tools will prioritize the handling of work permit extensions and PGWP applications based on their complexity, facilitating quicker decisions for certain applicants. The IRCC clarified that these tools are designed solely for sorting, assigning, and assessing applications, emphasizing that only an IRCC officer has the authority to refuse an application.
The automated tools serve two primary functions, according to the IRCC:
Sorting and Assigning Applications:
The triage function handles clerical and repetitive tasks related to sorting applications. This allows IRCC officers to concentrate on assessing applications and making final decisions. Applications are directed to the appropriate officers for further processing based on office capabilities and officer expertise.
Assessing Applications for Eligibility:
The eligibility function identifies routine applications for streamlined processing. The tools assess whether an application is routine and determine the eligibility of an applicant for a work permit extension or PGWP using criteria developed by IRCC officers. After this initial assessment, the file is forwarded to an officer for a final decision on the applicant’s admissibility to Canada.
IRCC emphasizes that the tools undergo routine reviews to ensure they function as intended and yield consistent results compared to applications receiving full human review.
In recent immigration trends, India has emerged as the primary source of new permanent residents for Canada. In 2022, India contributed 118,245 new permanent residents, accounting for over 27% of the total. During the first seven months of the current year, 96,085 Indians applied for permanent residency, representing more than 31.6% of the total 303,955 new permanent residents during that period.
Source: To reduce backlog, Canada’s immigration body to automate processing of work permits (msn.com)
