ARCHIVED – Operational Bulletin 198 – April 1, 2010
This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.
Transfer of Economic Class Applications from Islamabad to London
This Operational Bulletin has expired.
Issue
Beginning April 1, 2010 residents and citizens of Pakistan wishing to apply under the following economic classes (Quebec skilled workers, provincial nominees, entrepreneurs, self-employed and investors) will submit their applications to the Canadian High Commission in London, United Kingdom for processing, instead of Islamabad, Pakistan.
Background
The visa office in Islamabad is a full-service office, delivering the permanent and temporary resident programs for Pakistan and Afghanistan. Although Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) intends to maintain its presence in Islamabad, transferring the economic caseload to London will alleviate some of the pressure on its staff and programs.
The visa office in Islamabad will continue to process family class, refugee and temporary resident visa applications from Pakistan and will maintain all of its business lines for Afghanistan.
Instructions
Economic class applications from any of the above-specified classes that are received in Islamabad on or after April 1, 2010, from residents or citizens of Pakistan, will be redirected and transferred to London for processing. The websites for CIC and the Canadian High Commissions in Islamabad and London, as well as the relevant application kits and guides, will be updated to reflect this change in processing. Applicants will be redirected to the London website as necessary.
While not all applicants will require an interview, those who do will not be expected to travel to London. Applicants will have local options available to them for interviews. Those who do want to travel to London will also have that option.
Instructions for the transfer of existing economic applications from Islamabad to London are forthcoming.
Federal skilled worker and Canadian experience class applications
Federal skilled worker and Canadian experience class applications For federal skilled worker applications, applicants will continue to apply to the Centralized Intake Office in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. However, residents and citizens of Pakistan whose applications are recommended for further assessment will be directed to send a complete application to London.
All Canadian experience class applications will continue to be processed at the Canadian Consulate in Buffalo, New York, regardless of where the application is submitted.