Immigration applications can be high stakes, so you’ll naturally want to ensure that Canada’s immigration department receives your application on time.

The way you can get confirmation of receipt will vary depending on how you submitted your application.

Consult with an experienced immigration representative

Online applications

You can expect to see a confirmation page after submitting your immigration application online, which confirms that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has successfully received your submission.

IRCC will also send an email to the email address you’ve included in your application, which will

• Confirm your application has been submitted, and therefore, received by the immigration department; and
• Prompt you to check your IRCC online account for a confirmation message and application number.

This confirmation email is usually sent within a few hours of submitting an online application—however this is not an official Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR).

AORs are only sent after IRCC opens your application, confirms that it is complete, and begins processing it. This process can take anywhere from several days to a few months.

Once a confirmation email and/or AOR are received, the immigration department recommends you keep this information for your personal records.

Applications through a visa application centre

Visa application centres (VACs) provide tracking services that inform you when your application has been received by IRCC.

You will need a tracking ID or reference number to track your application, and these can typically be found on the receipt or invoice issued by the VAC.

The available tracking services for the status of your application will differ depending on the country and VAC you’ve applied through, but may include updates through

• Website tracking tools;
• Email;
• Web chat;
• Helpline numbers; and
• SMS (may incur additional charge(s)).

For more information on tracking and other services provided by visa application centres, visit IRCC’s dedicated webpage.

Paper applications

If you’ve submitted a paper application, you will not receive an acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) letter.

To ensure you have proof of delivery, the immigration department recommends using a postal or courier service that provides a tracking number—and requires a signature for delivery—allowing you to confirm your application has been successfully delivered to IRCC.

Certain paper applications can also be linked to an IRCC secure account, allowing you to receive up-to-date case status information and application-related messages.

How to link an application to your online account

You will have five attempts to link your application to your IRCC secure account. If you fail to do so after your fifth attempt, you will be locked out for 24 hours before you can try again.

Below is the three-step process for linking your application:

Step one: Make an IRCC secure account if you do not already have one.

Step two: In the “View the applications you submitted,” select “Add (link) your application to your account to check your status.”

Note that an application number is required at this stage to link your application.

Step three: Enter the same information you used in your original paper application—and if you’ve made any changes after applying, input the most current details.

Once you have successfully linked your account, you will no longer receive paper letters about your application and will instead receive messages pertaining to your application through your online account.

It can take up to five days for you to see your application in your account after IRCC receives it. If you see “Linking in progress” when you click “Check status and messages,” check back again later. If you fail to see it within five days, you can contact IRCC through their web form by selecting “Report a technical problem.”

Applications that can be linked

Only applications for the following can be added to an online account; none of the others can be added as of the time of writing.

Permanent Residence (PR) applications

• Agri-Food Pilot.
• Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP).
• Caregivers pathways:
  • Home Child Care Provider Pilot.
  • Home Support Worker Pilot.
  • In-Canada live-in caregivers.
  • Caring for children.
  • Caring for people with high medical needs.
• Express Entry:
  • Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
  • Express Entry Candidate profile.
  • Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).
  • Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP).
• Family sponsorship (except applications to become a sponsor).
• In-Canada protected persons and convention refugees (except applications for dependents).
• Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
• Quebec immigration:
  • Quebec entrepreneurs.
  • Quebec investors.
  • Quebec-selected skilled worker.
• Self-employed persons (including Quebec).
• Start-up visa.
• Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident Pathway.

Temporary residence (foreign workers, students, and visitors) applications

• Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).
• International Experience Canada (IEC).
• Study permit and extension.
• Visitor visa.
• Visitor record.
• Work permit and extension.

Other applications

• Interim Federal Health Program applications.
• Permanent resident cards.

IRCC expects to expand this list at a later date.

If, according to this list, your application isn’t linkable to an IRCC secure account, you can use IRCC’s Check Application Status tool or check application processing times.

Consult with an experienced immigration representative