Gunness & Assocaites | Canadian Immigration specialists in Ontario

IRCC will continue to hold virtual citizenship ceremonies According to the Government of Canada’s response to the petition on citizenship ceremonies, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is considering an online tool for self- administered Oath of Citizenship . The analysis is underway, considering client experience, process integrity, and preserving the importance of citizenship ceremonies.  Video ceremonies introduced in 2020 due to COVID-19 have helped reduce processing times and increased monthly oath-taking. These allow participation from rural areas and accommodate larger groups. Between January and September 2023, 276,540 new citizens were made, exceeding pre-COVID levels. Ceremonies are scheduled considering operational demands, official availability, and venue suitability. IRCC is working towards a 12-month service standard for granting citizenship. If you are applying for citizenship, you must be a permanent resident (PR) in Canada, regardless of your age. This

  IRCC is going through significant changes  Last week, Canada's immigration department made significant changes to improve the operations of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) based on a commissioned study.  The changes were influenced by a report from Neil Yeates, a former Deputy Minister of IRCC, who evaluated the department's structure and effectiveness. The department's Deputy Minister, Christiane Fox, communicates with the Immigration Minister, Marc Miller, to implement the government's elected mandate.  The department aims to be more responsive to global changes and humanitarian crises and incorporate applicants' experiences in its decision-making process. After receiving the Yeates report and working with public stakeholders, such as IRCC applicants, Fox had a plan of action by June 2023. Since then, she has implemented the changes gradually. Sectors where IRCC made significant changes The department was recently reorganized into the followi