Forward Regulatory Plan: 2022-2024
Remove or amend the requirement to present a permanent resident visa to an officer at a port of entry or IRCC inland office for approved permanent residents residing in Canada

Enabling Act: Immigration and Refugee Protection Act

Description

An amendment is being proposed to remove or amend subsection 71.1(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) in order to exempt temporary residents residing in Canada, whose permanent resident applications have been approved, from the obligation to present their permanent resident visa to an officer (at an inland IRCC office or Port of Entry) in order to be granted permanent resident status.

The objective of the amendment is to:

• Grant permanent resident status in a timely manner. Following the granting of permanent resident status, a permanent resident can access most social benefits that Canadians receive, including health care coverage.
• Reduce pressures at port of entry operations (i.e., clients seeking to flagpole at high-volume ports of entry)
• On March 16, 2020, in-person interviews were cancelled in order the continue to grant permanent resident status to approved permanent residence applicants residing in Canada,
• On April 9, 2020, the Minister approved a temporary public policy: Temporary Public Policy to Exempt from the Requirement to Present a Permanent Resident Visa to an Officer

On November 9, 2020, IRCC launched a new digital tool, the Permanent Resident Confirmation Portal, to support virtual landings. The portal allows Permanent Resident applicants to confirm that they are in Canada, provide address in Canada, download an electronic confirmations of permanent residence (eCOPR) and upload a photo for their permanent resident card.

Regulatory cooperation efforts (domestic and international)

Regulatory cooperation efforts are not required

Potential impacts on Canadians, including businesses

IRCC domestic operations and the CBSA port of entry operations would be directly affected by the proposed regulatory change

Consultations

This is an initiative in the early stages of development. The department plans to consult with targeted stakeholders and consultations could occur as soon as the summer of 2022. The timing and approach for consultations will be added to this section once known.

Departmental contact information

James McNamee
Senior Director, Federal Economic Immigration, Immigration Branch
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Email: James.McNamee@cic.gc.ca
Telephone: 343-571-1744

Date the regulatory initiative was first included in the Forward Regulatory Plan: April 1, 2021