tugrularas/irccfaq huggingface dataset:
Question: I applied for a new work permit with my caregiver application. Do I need to renew my current work permit?
Answer: If you had a valid work permit when you applied for permanent residence (PR) in one of the caregiver pilots, you may have maintained status. This applies to the Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker Pilots.
You have maintained status if you

applied for a work permit with your PR application before your initial work permit expired
stay in Canada until we make a decision on the new work permit application

You don’t need to renew your current work permit if you keep working for the same employer and in the same job. But you may want to renew your current work permit separately from your PR application if you can.
If we refuse your PR application, reject it for being incomplete, or return it for being over that year’s cap, we’ll return the related work permit application as well.
If this happens

you’ll lose your maintained status
if you’re not eligible to restore your status, you’d have to leave Canada

Find out more about how to extend or change the conditions on your work permit. We’ve also put a public policy in place to help you change jobs or employers.
Question: Are there other work permit options I can consider while I wait for my permanent resident application to be processed?
Answer: If you already applied for a work permit under the Home Child Care Provider or Home Support Worker Pilots, it will take a while to process your application.
You may also want to apply separately for a work permit or extend your current one under the

Temporary Foreign Worker Program or
International Mobility Program

Find out how to renew your work permit or status as a foreign worker.
If you have an employer-specific work permit and you want to change jobs or employers, you

must apply for a new work permit from inside Canada
don’t need to wait until we approve the application to start your new job or work for a new employer
just need an email from us that says you have permission to change jobs

Find out more about changing jobs or employers.
Question: My status as a worker has expired and I forgot to renew it. What should I do?
Answer: Find out what to do if your work permit has expired.
Question: What proof do I need for changes to my information after I was invited to apply to sponsor my parents?
Answer: If the information on your application won’t match what you entered on the interest to sponsor form, you’ll need to:

complete your application with the updated information and
include a letter explaining any changes, as well as proof of those changes

For an address change
Proof could include:

a copy of a bill with your name and new address on it
a copy of a new driver’s license with your new address on it
a rental agreement
the deed to a home

You should include as much information to support your claim as you can to make sure your application will not be returned to you.
For a name change
If your name is different on your status in Canada document (citizenship certificate, permanent resident card, etc.) than on your other supporting documents (such as your birth certificate), you should include:

proof that explains the name change, such as:

legal documents you submitted to change your name
confirmation documents showing your name was legally changed
marriage or divorce certificates

a letter of explanation

You should include as much information to support your claim as you can to make sure your application will not be returned to you.
Question: What if my birth certificate is different from other documents (or I don’t have one)?
Answer: That depends on what’s different and why.
If my parent’s or grandparent’s name isn’t the same on my birth certificate as on other documents
We need proof that the person you want to sponsor is related to you.
If your birth certificate doesn’t clearly show this

give an equivalent document that shows the relationship and
include a letter of explanation about why you’re sending it

You should also include a copy of your birth certificate.
If I got married and now use my spouse's last name
If your name is different on newer documents because you got married, you should include

proof that explains the name change and
a letter of explanation

If there’s incorrect information on my birth certificate
If details in your application don’t match your identity documents (like your birth certificate), include

a written explanation of why they don’t match
any supporting documents you have to prove you’re giving us accurate information in your application

If I don’t have a birth certificate
Sponsors normally need a birth certificate as proof of the relationship with their parents. You should apply for a certified copy of your birth certificate if you don’t have one.
If you can’t get a birth certificate from your birth country, you can give an equivalent document from that country along with a letter explaining why your birth certificate isn’t available.
Question: Will you refuse my application if I include a parent or grandparent that wasn’t on my interest to sponsor form?
Answer: You can apply to sponsor both parents (or both sets of grandparents) under the same confirmation number if you’re invited to apply.
You’re able to sponsor your parents or grandparents based on your invitation to apply, whether or not they’re included on your interest to sponsor form (if you meet the eligibility requirements).
You must include a letter explaining why you’re sending an application for a parent or grandparent that wasn’t listed on your interest to sponsor form.
You must also identify 1 parent or grandparent as the principal applicant on your application. Once you have submitted the application, you can’t change the principal applicant.
Please note the following:

Invitations to apply are not transferable. For example, you can’t use your invitation to sponsor your spouse’s parents (or grandparents) or give your invitation to a friend or other family member.
        
If you transfer your invitation, we’ll return the application. There are no exceptions.


If you’re applying to sponsor your parents and grandparents, you must submit a separate application for each.
Question: Do I need a marriage certificate for my parents/grandparents sponsorship application?
Answer: In most cases, you need to include a marriage certificate to prove your parents’ or grandparents’ relationship. There are a few exceptions:


If one parent is deceased 
You should include a letter explaining the situation. In the case of a deceased parent, you would include their death certificate.


If your parents don’t have a marriage certificate
If you can’t get one, include a detailed explanation as to why you can’t.


If your parents divorced some time ago and you don’t know where the parent you’re not sponsoring is
If your parents are divorced, you can include a notarized divorce certificate to prove one parent is not a dependant of the other. A processing officer may ask you for more information later.


Including all the documents we ask for will help make sure your application isn’t

delayed in processing or
returned to you as incomplete
Question: What if the parent or grandparent I’m sponsoring has a separated spouse?
Answer: If the principal applicant (the parent or grandparent you’re sponsoring) has a separated spouse, their separated spouse is still considered a dependant.
The principal applicant must complete all forms for any dependants, including their separated spouse (if applicable), even if they aren’t coming to Canada.
If the principal applicant can’t get information about their separated spouse, they must upload a written explanation to tell us why they couldn’t get this information.
The explanation should be detailed and include information such as

if the separated spouse is in prison
if the separated spouse is in a common-law relationship with another person
any other relevant details

This letter lets us know the principal applicant didn’t forget to complete the forms.
In most cases, a separated spouse counts toward family size for the purposes of the income requirement. Make sure the principal applicant includes them, if they need to, when they’re calculating this.
If the principal applicant has a separated spouse and is also in a common-law relationship
The principal applicant must include their common-law partner in the application instead of their separated spouse. If the officer who processes the application needs more information, they’ll contact you.
Question: Do I include time on parental leave in my employment history for sponsoring my parents?
Answer: When filling out your financial evaluation form (IMM5768), you need to fill out your employment history. Since you’re still employed during parental leave, you can include that time in the employment period for that employer (question 14).
You should list your total income for the entire employment period, not just your annual income.
Question: What do I put for the date of birth (or death) of my family member if I don’t know it?
Answer: If you don’t know the complete date, or if it’s in the 1800s, enter 1900 in the space for the unknown year, and 01 for the month or day. This will let you validate the form.
You should also attach a letter of explanation that says why you don’t have the information needed to fill in the complete date.
Question: How can I quickly get information about my Canadian citizenship to sponsor parents/grandparents?
Answer: If you’re sponsoring your parents or grandparents and you don’t have your citizenship certificate, you can apply urgently for a:

citizenship certificate, or
search of citizenship records
Question: I need to submit documents to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB). Can I use the portal?
Answer: No, you can’t communicate with the IRB through

the Canadian Refugee Protection Portal
the IRCC Portal

Find out how to submit the Basis of Claim form or the evidence you’re gathering for your hearing to the IRB.
Question: My application was returned by email. Can I resubmit copies of these documents?
Answer: Yes, you can resubmit copies of these documents by mail, but you’ll have to print them out if it’s for a program where you apply on paper. If you’re applying for family sponsorship, you’ll need to fill out a new IMM1344 and include it.
Make sure to include the message we sent when we returned your application by email if you’re resubmitting copies of originals we sent back to you digitally.
You still need to

keep your information up to date
use the most recent versions of the forms online

If your original documents or forms are outdated, you’ll need to provide new ones.
Question: My application was returned by email. How do I re-submit it?
Answer: We’ll mail your original passport back to you automatically (if we requested it). We won’t return originals of other documents, for example

language test results
police certificates
education assessments

If you need to resubmit documents, you can use the version we sent back to you. For processing, we consider the emailed version to be the equivalent of the original.
You’ll have to print them out and mail them back if it’s for a program where you apply on paper.
Note: don’t send us your passport until we ask for it. Doing so may delay your application and you may be asked to obtain a tracking number for us to return it back to you.
Question: You returned my application by email. Can I get my documents back?
Answer: We mail back original passports but we won’t automatically return any other documents. We may consider returning others, for example, an original work permit, on a case by case basis.
Question: Why was my application returned to me by email?
Answer: We’re digitizing some paper applications to help with processing. We process using the digital versions, including when we check if your application is complete.
Returning applications by email is faster and more efficient than mailing the package back to you.
Question: I’m having problems making a refugee claim online. What do I do?
Answer: Contact us through our web form if

you need help completing your refugee claim
you’re having technical problems with the IRCC Portal or the Canadian Refugee Protection Portal

It may take more than 10 business days for us to respond to you.
If you need help completing your claim
You may need help with your claim if

you don’t understand the questions or the information we need
you don’t have the documents or proof we ask for

When completing the web form

Under Who are you, choose “I’m the principal applicant”
Under What did you apply for, choose “Refugee”, then “Refugee Claim”
Describe the problem you’re having under Tell us about your request.

Include details such as

any questions you don’t understand
why you can’t provide the documents or proof we asked for 
any other issues





If you’re having technical problems
Technical problems can include

the portal isn’t working properly

For example, you can’t continue a claim you already started.


you’re getting error messages that aren’t about the claim questions

For example, you try to navigate to the next page in the portal and the page loads an error code instead.


you can’t submit your claim

When completing the web form

Select your problem
Describe the problem you’re having under Your enquiry.

In your description, tell us whether you’re using the IRCC Portal or the Canadian Refugee Protection Portal and include the following information:

that you’re making a refugee claim
the device you’re using (cellphone, desktop computer, tablet, etc.)
the web browser you’re using (Google Chrome, Apple Safari, Microsoft Edge, etc.)
the problem you’re having and the information you need
the date and time the problem happened

If you can, you should also attach screenshots of the full web browser (with the website address visible) of

the page where the problem happened
the page you were on before the problem happened
the error message you got
Question: How do I update my citizenship certificate or card with my reclaimed Indigenous name?
Answer: If you’ve reclaimed your Indigenous name, you can change the name on your citizenship certificate or card. To do that, apply for a new citizenship certificate. There will be no cost for this change until May 30, 2026. 

We no longer give out citizenship cards or the commemorative certificates that came with them. If you apply to update or replace your citizenship card, we will send you a citizenship certificate.

When you apply, include either an eligibility form or a statutory declaration, depending on your situation.

Include an eligibility form [IRM 0004] (PDF, 1.8 MB) if you either

amended your birth certificate or
 obtained a legal change of name document



Include a Statutory Declaration [IRM 0005] (PDF, 1.8 MB) if you

are applying for a free replacement certificate and
can’t amend your birth certificate or obtain a legal change of name document
    
You’ll also need to include proof that you can’t obtain these documents (for example, a rejection letter from your province or territory).




We’ll use these forms to determine if you’re eligible for a free replacement certificate.

You’ll have to pay the usual fees if

you’re applying for your first citizenship certificate
you’ve declared your citizenship certificate lost, stolen or damaged

Apply for a citizenship certificate.

This is a response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action (PDF, 298.56 KB). Learn more about our response to Call to Action 17.
Question: I have reclaimed my Indigenous name. How do I update my PR card?
Answer: If you’ve reclaimed your Indigenous name, you can change the name on your PR card by applying for a new one. There’s no cost for this change until May 31, 2026.
When you apply, include either an eligibility form or a Statutory Declaration, depending on your situation.

Include an eligibility form [IRM 0004] (PDF, 1.82 MB) if you either

amended your birth certificate or
have a legal change of name document



Include a Statutory Declaration [IRM 0005] (PDF, 1.82 MB) if you

are applying for a free replacement PR card and
can’t amend your birth certificate or get a legal change of name document
   
you’ll also need to include proof you can’t get these documents (for example, a rejection letter from your province or territory)




We’ll use these forms to find if you’re eligible for a free replacement card.

You’ll have to pay the usual fees if

you’re applying for your first PR card
you’ve declared your PR card lost, stolen or damaged


Apply for, renew or replace a Permanent Resident card

This is a response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action (PDF, 298.56 KB). Learn more about our response to Call to Action 17.
Question: How can I apply for a citizenship certificate or search of citizenship records?
Answer: There are 2 ways to apply: online or on paper. You can only apply online to get your own citizenship records. To apply for someone else’s citizenship records, you need to apply on paper.
We process online and paper applications the same way and at the same speed.
There are some differences between applying online and on paper. This includes how

you’ll prepare and submit your application
long you have to complete your application
you’ll pay your fees
we’ll communicate with you
you’ll be able to check your application status

Find out how to apply for

citizenship certificates
search of citizenship records
Question: Can I update my application for a citizenship certificate?
Answer: Yes, you can update your application after you submit it. How you do that depends on how you applied.




How you applied
How to contact us and update your application




Online application from inside Canada or the United States
Use the web form


Online application from outside Canada and the United States
Contact the Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate you selected in the online application


Paper application from inside Canada or the United States
Use the web form


Paper application from outside Canada and the United States
Contact the Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate you sent your application to





If you change your contact information (such as your address or email)

it takes time for us to update your information
check in case we sent the update to your old contact information


Find out more on how to

update your application information
change your address
Question: I live abroad and applied online. How will I get my citizenship certificate?
Answer: If you asked for an electronic certificate (e-certificate) in your application
A link with instructions to access to your e-certificate will be available in your IRCC secure account(opens in a new tab) .
If you asked for a paper certificate in your application
If your mailing address is in the United States, we’ll mail your citizenship certificate to the address in your application.
If your mailing address is outside Canada and the United States

we will not send the certificate directly to you
when you apply online, you can choose the Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate office near you
		
Some of these offices do not have citizenship services. If the office that you want is not on the list in your online application, you have 2 options:
				
choose a different office, for example, the next closest office to your region, or
contact the office in your area to help you choose




we’ll send the certificate to the office you choose
the office will contact you and tell you how to get your certificate
Question: For my citizenship certificate application, can I provide documents that aren’t in English or French?
Answer: Yes. If you provide a document that isn’t in English or French, you must send it with

the English or French translation and
an affidavit from the translator

Check the translation requirements if you applied

online
on paper
Question: My citizenship certificate was mailed to me, but I never received it. What do I do?
Answer: It depends on when and where we sent your certificate.
We sent your certificate to an address in Canada or the United States
If it’s been less than 6 weeks since we sent your certificate

Wait until 6 weeks have passed to contact us.
To find out when your certificate was sent, check your application status.

If 6 weeks to 6 months have passed since we sent your certificate
Contact us and we’ll replace it:

in Canada, contact the Client Support Centre or use the web form
in the United States, use the web form

When you contact us, provide your

current address
phone number
email

If more than 6 months have passed since we sent your certificate
You need to

apply to replace the certificate
pay the fee

We sent your certificate to a Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate
If it’s been less than 8 weeks since we sent your certificate

Wait until 8 weeks have passed to contact the office we’re sending it to.
To find out when your certificate was sent, check your application status.

If 8 weeks to 6 months have passed since we sent your certificate from Canada
You can contact the Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate

you chose when you submitted your online application or
where you submitted your paper application

If more than 6 months have passed since we sent your certificate
You need to

apply to replace the certificate
pay the fee
Question: I want to replace or update my citizenship certificate. What do I do with my current certificate?
Answer: You can only have 1 valid citizenship certificate. Your next steps depend on the type of certificate you have.
If you have an electronic certificate (e-certificate)
When you submit your application to replace or update your certificate

delete or destroy all printed and digital copies of your e-certificate
do not download another copy of your e-certificate until we make a decision on your application

If you have a paper citizenship certificate or citizenship card
When you apply for a certificate, you must return

all original
		
paper citizenship certificates
citizenship cards
naturalization certificates


any pink transmission copies you have

If you find an old certificate after you get a new one, send it to the Case Processing Centre in Sydney, Nova Scotia.
If you don’t return them, it will delay the processing of your application.

Check your instruction guides
To learn more, check your instruction guide:

Online application guide
Paper application guide
Question: When can I take my online citizenship test?
Answer: You can only take your test during the 30-day period shown on your invitation. You must wait until you receive your invitation. You can’t access the test until we invite you.

You don’t need to contact us to get an invitation.
We’re working as quickly as we can to invite all eligible applicants to take the test.
If you contact us, we won’t have further information or invite you sooner.

After you receive your invitation, you

must complete the test within 30 days of the start date in the invitation
have up to 3 chances to take the test during this 30-day period
If you fail the first time, you can try again 2 more times to pass.
can take the test at any time during the 30-day period (including weekends and holidays)

You cannot sign in to the test

outside the 30-day period shown on your invitation, or
after you submit the test
Question: My application status says I’ve been scheduled for an online test. Why haven’t I received an invitation?
Answer: This means we have scheduled your test and that the invitation is on its way to you. You must wait until you receive the invitation before you can take the test.
If you haven’t received your invitation by the “start date” in the citizenship application tracker, send an email to IRCC.CitOnlineTest-TestenligneCit.IRCC@cic.gc.ca. In your email, include

a detailed explanation of the issue
your application number
your unique client identifier (UCI)