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Immigration application system set for massive revamp in wake of COVID-19
BY , Jun 11, 2020 7:12 PM - REPORT AN ERROR
Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Marco Mendicino takes part in a press conference during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ottawa on June 8, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
A complete overhaul of how Canada processes immigration applications is in the works as the federal government braces for a post-COVID-19 surge in demand for migration to Canada.
The federal Immigration Department says the "new normal" that will emerge after the pandemic requires a revamp of the technology used to handle millions of applications a year.
It says new strategies for managing those applications are also needed to limit the amount of in-person contact within the bureaucracy and between officials and potential newcomers.
The department included its plan in an "urgent request" issued late last month for a company to help with that project.
Immigration to Canada came to a near-halt in March when borders around the world slammed shut to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
A report from RBC Economics has suggested that could curb Canada's economic growth, noting the $6 billion in tuition alone that international students contribute to the economy each year.
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