Since 2018, biometrics for applicants for visitor visas, work permits, study permits, or permanent residence from outside Canada has been mandatory.
However, there was an exemption for those already in Canada and were eligible to apply for a visa or visa extension within Canada. IRCC announced this week that that exemption will end towards the end of this year. The date will be officially announced on the IRCC website, but there is an understanding that:
· The exemption for in-Canada applicants will end in December 2019.
· IRCC has entered into a partnership with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) for the collection of biometric information.
· Applicants will be required to provide their biometrics at one of 56 designated Service Canada locations across the country – these centres are operated by ESDC.
· In-Canada applicants will continue to file their study permit applications online with IRCC. On filing an application, they will then receive additional instructions from IRCC as to how and where they can provide their biometric information (at an ESDC-operated Service Centre) to complete the application process.
The exemption remains in place for any in-Canada applicants that have previously filed biometrics with IRCC within the last ten years as biometrics require to given once every ten years.
Applicants exempted from providing biometric information include:
· Children under the age of 14
· Applicants over the age of 79
· Nationals coming to Canada as tourists from visa-exempt countries who hold a valid Electronic Travel Authorization
Biometrics collection is recognized globally as a reliable, accurate tool for establishing identity. More than 70 countries around the world are using biometrics in their immigration programs.
