Permanent Residence By Phone
Effective 1 DEC 2017, IRCC announced a pilot project that allows some applicants for Permanent Resident status to complete their application by phone. Thus far, the pilot project has only been available for Canada Experience Class applicants. That said, IRCC has been open to applicants who are in rural areas. As noted by IRCC:
The benefit of this pilot project is that clients who are already in Canada do not have to travel to an IRCC office or leave and re-enter Canada in order to be confirmed as a PR, potentially saving clients both time and money.
This program for Permanent Residence by phone may benefit many individuals who do not have easy access to Winnipeg or other urban centres.
Telephone Landing
This program is suitable for PR applicants who do not have access to IRCC Offices. Normally, an Officer would confer the PR status face-to-face after the applicants have been approved. The “telephone landing” gives the applicants the ease and convenience of getting the last step done without having to fly or drive long distances to the nearest IRCC Office.
Permanent Residence By Phone
Currently, we are working to assist the Warkentin family who reside in Waterhen, Manitoba and they may be able to use the pilot program. Their home in Waterhen is +3 hours drive to the nearest IRCC Office.
The Winnipeg Free Press reported on this story last week. As noted by Carol Saunders in an excerpt below:
“Under normal procedures for landed permanent residents, they come to Winnipeg to meet with an officer,” said Clarke. “They will be asked questions to confirm there have been no significant changes in their situation, then permanent residence status will be conferred,” he said. “That’s the final step.”
The pilot project would allow some — who’ve already filled out reams of paperwork, met all the requirements and been approved to stay in Canada — to finalize the process by phone. Once a permanent residence application has been approved, the applicants will be sent an email from an address ending in “@cic.gc.ca” or a message through their IRCC online accounts inviting them to be confirmed as a permanent resident by telephone, the federal department said in an online notice.
After applicants complete their telephone interview, they will then have their confirmation of permanent resident status either mailed to them or uploaded in their IRCC online account, it said.
The immigration department says that applicants cannot request to be included in the pilot project but Clarke said his office plans to contact IRCC about the Warkentins “and suggest that they are ideal candidates.”
If you believe that you or your family should be conferred permanent residence by phone, please contact our office and we can arrange a consultation to determine whether you are also good candidates.
