Programs exempt from the in-Canada mandatory electronic application (e-application) requirement for temporary residents

Foreign nationals who are in Canada as temporary residents and are seeking to extend their temporary resident status or their authorization to work or study must apply by electronic means only, unless otherwise specified.

On June 4, 2019, the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) were amended to make an electronic application mandatory for most temporary residence applications made from within Canada. Specifically, section R9.2 provides that the following applications must be made by the electronic means made available or specified by the Minister for that purpose:

• an application for an extension of an authorization to remain in Canada as a temporary resident
• an application that is made in Canada for a work or study permit or for renewal of such a permit
• an application for the restoration of temporary resident status
• an application that is made pursuant to a youth mobility arrangement entered into by Canada

Exceptions — use of other means

Clients may use means other than the electronic option if they meet one of the following exceptions:

1. Exceptional circumstances beyond the control of foreign nationals, individuals or entities

Section R9.4 provides for an exception to the mandatory electronic application submission if the Minister determines that

• the infrastructure in a country is inadequate or incompatible with the electronic means made available or specified by the Minister for that purpose
• a natural disaster, political turmoil or other situation prevents or impedes the use of electronic means or makes using them unreliable

2. Disability

A foreign national or an individual who, because of a disability, is unable to meet a requirement to make an electronic application may do so by any other means that is made available or specified by the Minister for that purpose, such as the paper application form [R9.5].

3. System restrictions (Come to Canada tool and MyAccount)

There are 2 online systems that clients can use:

• Come to Canada tool: for assessing eligibility online

• MyAccount: clients register and log in using GCKey or a Sign-In Partner

The Minister has determined that the Come to Canada tool and MyAccount are inadequate for specific applicants inside Canada. As a result, these applicants are exempt from the mandatory online application.

The following is a list of the exemptions from mandatory electronic application for persons applying inside Canada. It should be noted that authorized paid representatives (APR) with access to the APR portal are required to submit applications electronically on behalf of their clients.

Exemption details