Immigrating to Canada: After applying

The application process may vary depending on your category and where you applied, however some processing steps are common to all offices.

The application assessment process

After you submit your application, a Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) officer will verify that you have:

  • completed your application forms correctly and signed them,
  • paid your processing fee and
  • included any required supporting documents.

If your application is not complete, it will be returned to you unprocessed.

The office where you applied will contact you when it receives your completed application. You will be told what you need to do and what will happen next.

Note: If you were instructed not to include supporting documents with your application, the office will contact you and ask you to provide the required documents about four months before your application is processed.

Processing times

The length of time it takes to process applications varies depending on where you applied. You can check application processing times on this site.

You may be able to avoid unnecessary delays by:

  • notifying the visa office of any changes to personal information on your application, such as your address, phone and fax numbers or a change in the makeup of your family
  • avoiding repeated inquiries to the visa office.

Your application will be delayed if:

  • there are criminal or security problems related to your application, or additional background checks are needed, or
  • your family situation is not clear — reasons could include a divorce or an adoption that is not yet complete or child custody issues that have not been resolved, or
  • the office processing your application has to consult with other CIC offices in Canada or abroad.

You can check the status of your application online after the visa office has started to process your application.

Medical exams

You must have a medical exam before coming to Canada. Your dependants must also have one, even if they are not coming to Canada with you.

Applications for permanent residence will not be accepted if an applicant’s health:

  • is a danger to public health or safety or
  • would cause excessive demand on health or social services in Canada.

Instructions on how to get the medical exam will normally be sent to you after you submit your application.

Police certificates

If you have a criminal record you may not be allowed to enter Canada. People who pose a risk to Canada’s security are not allowed to come to Canada either.

To immigrate to Canada, you and any family members 18 years of age and older must provide police certificates to the visa office.

If you were not instructed to include police certificates when you applied, the office will contact you when you need to provide them.

The decision on your application

The CIC officer will make a decision on your application based on the immigration requirements at the time you applied, including:

  • whether you meet the eligibility criteria for the program under which you applied
  • whether you have the funds to support yourself and your family when you arrive in Canada
  • the results of your medical exam
  • the information on your police certificate

The office processing your application will contact you if you need to send more documents or go to an interview.

If your application is approved, you will be asked to submit your passport to the visa office in order to receive your permanent resident visa.

Confirmation of permanent residence

If your application is approved, you will be issued a permanent resident visa. Your permanent resident visa includes your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and your entry visa. Your COPR will include identification information as well as your photograph. Please check the information on your COPR to make sure it is correct. It should be the same as the information on your passport. If there is a mistake on your COPR, contact your visa office.

You must have your COPR and your visa with you when you arrive in Canada.

How to Contact the Centralized Intake Office

Federal and Quebec skilled workers, provincial nominees and federal investors who applied to the Centralized Intake Office and have a request for case information may contact the Client Service Unit.

You will not receive a reply to your email if:

  • you have not already applied under one of the above categories
  • you are not authorized to receive personal information
  • you applied within the last six weeks
  • your enquiry concerns a topic other than your case.

Please do not send the same enquiry more than once. You can reach the CSU at CIO‑Sydney‑Search‑Enquiry@cic.gc.ca.

Courier address
Centralized Intake Office
47-49 Dorchester Street
Sydney, NS  B1P 5Z2
Canada

Please write the program you are applying under on the outside of the envelope (federal skilled worker / FSW, provincial nominee / PN, Quebec-selected skilled worker / QSW, investor).