CIMM - Coronavirus

Key Messages

• Canadian visa offices in mainland China are currently operating with essential staff and processing only urgent applications on a case-by-case basis. There are 6 officers working in China currently, whereas normally we have 30.
• 10 of 11 visa application centres in mainland China re-opened on March 9, 2020, with a gradual return to full business operations. The re-openings are in line with Chinese municipal authorities’ instructions that non-essential businesses can slowly return to normal, including in the areas where the visa application centres are located, provided they implement procedures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
• These visa application centres are only offering limited client services and reduced hours of operation until further notice.
• The visa application centre in Wuhan remains closed until further notice. As of March 11, 2020, the visa application center in Rome, Italy, is also closed until further notice.
• As part of the Government’s overall response, IRCC has put special measures in place for several countries to help temporary and permanent residents and applicants who have been affected by travel restrictions and service disruptions related to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
• We are closely monitoring the situation and considering a range of strategies, both immediate and longer term, to reduce and mitigate these impacts on our clients and operations, including temporary foreign workers and international students.

Supplementary Messages

• The special measures will help people overseas who, for example need to request an extension of their confirmation of permanent residence or who need a permanent resident travel document to urgently travel to Canada.
• Also, extensions are being given to applicants who cannot complete the next step in their application process on time, such as giving their biometrics or undergoing an immigration medical exam. No application in progress will be closed or refused due to a lack of documentation or inability to complete the next step.
• The special measures will also help citizenship applicants who need the opportunity to reschedule the following:
  • knowledge tests;
  • retests;
  • interviews;
  • hearings; or
  • oaths of citizenship.
• Under immigration law, existing provisions are available for those in Canada whose status will soon expire or has already expired (extensions and restoration of status) but are unable to leave the country.

Why a travel ban has not been implemented (why we are still issuing visas)

• The Government of Canada is working in close collaboration with public health authorities at the provincial level, as well as with the international community, to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
• One of the Government’s priorities is to facilitate immigration while protecting the health and safety of Canadians. Canada has a number of standard border measures in place to mitigate the potential risk of introduction and spread of communicable diseases into Canada. We also have a number of additional border measures in place in response to the current outbreak of coronavirus.
• All these measures to date have been effective in containing the spread in Canada. We are continually re-evaluating based on new evidence and preparing to ensure we continue to adapt and apply flexibility to our approach as needed.

Background

• The special measures will provide flexibility in the following scenarios:
  • people who have a confirmation of permanent residence letter to Canada that will expire in next 90 days, but are unable to travel to Canada;
  • permanent residents who urgently need to travel to Canada and don’t have a permanent resident card;
  • citizenship applicants who are unable to travel to Canada and will miss their citizenship ceremony, tests, interviews or hearings; and
  • temporary and permanent residence applicants whose application is in progress, but who are unable to complete the next step in the process (e.g., providing supporting documentation, completing immigration medical exams, providing biometrics) within the specified timelines due to the situation in mainland China.
• Applicants in these situations will not have their immigration status or applications negatively affected solely on the basis of not completing these next steps.
• Existing provisions, such as extensions and restoration, are also available to support visitors, international students and foreign workers who cannot travel to their home country and whose legal status in Canada has ended or will soon end.
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Travel Restriction Considerations:

• IRCC is collaborating with international partners in monitoring the situation and exchanging updates on our respective approaches, including port of entry procedures, migration-related measures, and the repatriation of citizens.