Immigration Canada to revise application process

Citizenship and Immigration Canada has introduced a new application process for many federal skilled workers and business class immigration applicants.

As of September 1, 2006, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) will introduce a new simplified application process for most Federal Economic Class applicants, inclusive of Skilled Workers and Business Immigrants. Beginning this date, affected Federal Economic Class applicants will be required to provide the modified application form and processing fees at the time of application.

Supporting documentation will remain a critical component of the processing of the application, but this step will put more focus on the clear, accurate, and complete presentation of the application forms. Such documents will be provided only when the visa office has reviewed the forms and is ready to complete the assessment of the application.

Applicants will potentially benefit by earlier "lock in" of the application upon submission, meaning that applications will be evaluated against the Regulations in effect at such time. At the time of assessment of the application by the appropriate visa office a request for the supporting documents will be forwarded to the applicant.

The following applicants cannot apply under the simplified application process;

• provincial nominees; or
• Quebec applicants; or
• Temporary residents of Canada as a worker or a student and are submitting your application at the Canadian visa office in Buffalo; or
• Legal status in the United States and are submitting your application through the Canadian visa office in Buffalo

Rochelle Rainford,