IRCC launches new online app for refugees
Canada continues to work on immigration policy.
Starting September 13, 2022, people in Canada who want to apply for refugee status can do so online through a new electronic application. The new online asylum application will replace the Canadian Refugee Protection Portal and become the primary way to apply for refugee status in Canada. At this time, the platform is only available to those already in Canada.
Through this app, staff will be able to communicate directly with clients or their legal representatives. Applicants will also be able to track the status of their application. By making the process of registering and admitting refugees at domestic offices more efficient, Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada continues to work to improve customer service and the processing of refugee claims.
Anyone who wishes to apply for refugee protection in Canada can upload their documents and those of family members who are also in Canada. Applicants will have 90 days to complete the application once it is open. For privacy reasons, incomplete applications not submitted within 90 days will be deleted. That said, individuals who started their application on or before September 12, 2022, but have not yet submitted an application on the Canadian Refugee Protection Portal will have until December 31, 2022 to do so.
The announcement emphasizes that Canada will continue to strengthen the immigration system and make sure it works well for everyone, including the world's most vulnerable. The new application is part of a recently announced plan to reform the intake system for new residents, which aims primarily to shorten processing times.
