Canada Visa Application during Covid-19

Know how long the processing of Canada Visa Application during Covid-19 takes place.

How long is the processing time?

Processing times indicate how long an application would take to process in normal circumstances.

A review time period begins on the day Canadian Embassy obtains an application and ends when it makes a determination. If you apply by mail, the time period begins upon receipt of your submission in their mailroom. If you apply online or in person, the process begins with the submission of your application.

Numerous variables can affect the processing time, including the following:

• The nature of the application
• If the application is complete, the speed at which embassy processes previously received applications,
• The ease with which it can verify your details, and the time it takes you to respond to any requests or concerns
• Additional variables

Due to the coronavirus disease’s (COVID-19) consequences IRCC is: 

• Experiencing delays in the receipt of applications and,
• Unable to process applications in the normal course of business duration,
• Unable to have correct processing times.

Determine how you are affected by the coronavirus for advice on your case (COVID-19).

As mentioned above, your application’s processing period begins the day IRCC receives it in its entirety and ends when it makes a decision on it.

If you apply by mail, the time period begins upon receipt of your submission in their mail room.

If you apply online or in person, the process begins with the submission of your application.

Most of the visa application processing times are historical, meaning they are based on the time required to process 80% of applications in the past.

Processing times for those permanent resident applicants who have not yet applied are expected, which means they are calculated based on the actual number of applications awaiting processing and the rate at which IRCC plans to process 80 percent of them.

Every processing time is accompanied by an explanation indicating whether it is predicted or historical. 

However, bear in mind that checking exact processing time is not possible due to the current Covid-19 situation.

For the majority of applications, process applications have correct processing times.

If you’ve already applied, visit the check your application status page on the official IRCC site to learn how to check the status of your application.

As visitors, migrant staff, and students are at risk of contracting the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), it is crucial to discover the impact of COVID-19 on you and what you can do whether you are a tourist, temporary worker, or foreign student.

Use of ArriveCAN

You must use ArriveCAN to apply your travel documents prior to checking in at the airport or crossing the border. Along with that you are also required to provide:

• Data on travel and touch
• Quarantine strategy
• COVID-19 signs and symptoms self-evaluation

Kindly carry your ArriveCAN receipt (electronic or paper) with you upon arrival to present the border services officer.

Important Note for India and Pakistan flights:

Canada will suspend flights to India and Pakistan on April 22, 2021, at 11:30 p.m. ET until its next notice and it is crucial to remember travel restrictions are subject to change without notice.

So, for more details and regular updates, keep visiting www.celpip.biz or visit the official IRCC site.

Canada understands that the travel restrictions are affecting a large number of people who are unable to travel to Canada at the moment. These limitations effectively exclude the majority of discretionary travel to Canada.

IRCC has taken the following actions in response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19):

• Temporarily altering the application process.
• Prioritising applications from individuals who are qualified to move to Canada.
• Unable to process applications on a regular basis.
• And is unable to have correct processing times.
• It is continuing to process applications so that you can fly as soon as the restrictions are lifted.

Even if you have a valid visitor visa or electronic travel authorization (eTA), you may be unable to travel or be assured entry to Canada during this time period.

Who is admissible to visit Canada?

Foreign nationals, including citizens of the United States of America (US), can visit Canada as visitors only if they meet certain criteria. Restrictions differ according to your origin.

If you’re visiting Canada to be reunited with relatives, there are also documents and procedures that must be followed in order to reunite with your relatives. You also need to determine the steps necessary to reunify with your immediate or extended family.

As mentioned before you must use ArriveCAN to apply your travel documents prior to checking in at the airport or crossing the border along with documents on:

• Data on travel and touch
• Quarantine strategy
• COVID-19 signs and symptoms self-evaluation

DO NOT forget to carry your ArriveCAN receipt (electronic or paper) with you upon arrival to present the border services officer.

In case, you are already eligible for travelling to Canada but do not possess a visa or electronic travel authorization (eTA) then you must immediately inform IRCC so that your application can be prioritised. What you need to do depends on whether or not you’ve already applied.

If you have already applied for a visa or electronic travel authorization (eTA), observe the guidelines set for those who:

• Already submitted an application for a tourist visa
• Already submitted an application for an eTA

If you have not yet applied for a visa or electronic travel authorization, use IRCC’s online tool to determine if you need a visitor visa or an eTA.

To apply for a new visitor visa, follow the instructions below.

• Submit an application for a new eTA
• If you are not already able to fly, you can apply for a visitor visa or an eTA.

In case your application is approved, you must wait until Canada’s travel restrictions are lifted before visiting.

If you are already in Canada, you are legally permitted to stay as long as your visa status remains correct.

To prolong your stay in Canada, you can apply online for a visitor record. But remember to include a notice detailing why you require an extension of your stay in Canada with your application.

If you are a tourist who needs work authorization, IRCC is temporarily allowing tourists from within Canada to apply online for a work permit.

If you are a resident of Canada and your visitor status has expired, you will be able to reclaim it.

Canada Government’s Update on Travel Restrictions to Contain the Spread of Covid-19

Canada’s government is offering an update on travel restrictions implemented to contain the spread of COVID-19. Foreign nationals who have already committed to working, studying, or settling in Canada will be exempt from air travel restrictions, and travel by these persons will be deemed mandatory for land border restrictions.

Exemptions include the following:

• Fish/seafood workers, caregivers, seasonal agricultural employees and all other temporary foreign workers
• International students with a valid study permit or those who were approved for a study permit on March 18, 2020
• Applicants of permanent residency approved for Canadian permanent residency before the travel restrictions were announced on March 18, 2020

Additionally, agriculture and food processing employers will benefit from a temporary adjustment to the Labour Market Impact Assessment procedure, as the mandatory two-week recruitment period will be waived for the next six months.

Moreover, the government is raising the overall period of jobs for employees in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program’s low-wage stream from one to two years. This will increase employer flexibility and reduce administrative burdens, especially for employers in the food processing industry.

To ensure the continuity of trade, commerce, health, and food protection for all Canadians, temporary foreign workers in agriculture, agri-food, seafood processing, and other critical industries will be permitted to enter Canada under new exemptions to the March 18 air travel restrictions.

In addition to health screening prior to travel, all individuals entering Canada from outside the country must isolate for 14 days upon arrival.

IRCC is allowing foreign workers into Canada as it recognises their critical role in the Canadian economy, especially in terms of food security and the success of Canadian food producers. The arrival of farm labourers and fish/seafood workers is critical to the planting and harvesting of crops. Employment on farms and in food processing plants will still be open to Canadians.

Individuals who qualify for these exemptions do not attempt to fly to Canada immediately. We will notify you once the exemptions become effective, which we expect will be quite soon.

The above mentioned exemptions also extend for:

• International nationals travelling at the invitation of the Canadian government for the purpose of containing COVID-19
• Canadian citizens’ and permanent residents’ closely related family members
• An individual who has been allowed in writing to enter Canada by a consular officer of the Government of Canada in order to reunite immediate family members
• An Indian as per the Indian Act – accredited diplomats and family members including NATO and those adhering to the United Nations Headquarters Agreement, and other organisations
• Air-crews of any foreign national or group of foreign nationals whose entry is deemed necessary by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship.

The Public Health Agency of Canada is closely monitoring the situation in collaboration with regions, territories, and international partners, including the World Health Organization. Global efforts are concentrating on containing the outbreak and preventing its spread.

Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer works closely with provincial and territorial Chief Medical Officers of Health to ensure that any cases of COVID-19 that arise in Canada are quickly detected and treated to protect Canadians’ health.

The National Microbiology Laboratory of Canada is conducting diagnostic research for COVID-19. The laboratory is collaborating closely with provincial and territorial public health laboratories that are now equipped to conduct COVID-19 testing.

We hope you would have benefitted from this information provided by CELPIP BIZ. For regular updates stay tuned to www.celpip.biz.