Canada will create a new platform for immigration applications
The pandemic shows that it needs to be implemented as early as possible.
Canada has budgeted $428.9 million CAD in 2021 to build and implement a new immigration processing platform over 5 years. It will launch as early as 2023 and will gradually replace the current system.
Alexander Cohen, a spokesperson for Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino, said authorities will not limit themselves to creating one platform — it will be part of a larger move to digital platforms in the Department of Immigration and across the government, and will help more efficiently process the growing number of applications for Canadian residency and reduce the use of paper applications.
The number of applications has increased significantly over the past few years. Analysis of government data showed that in 2020, 34% of applications went unprocessed. In 2019, the figure was 21%. There are now about 120 immigration programs in Canada, and about half of them still only accept paper applications, which is inconvenient for applicants and immigration officers alike.
The government has also made it a priority to improve the interaction between the federal and provincial immigration systems, as Canada's 10 provinces and territories have their own programs with both online and paper-based applications. Almost half of immigrants come to Canada through provincial programs.
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