December 9, 2015 – Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is experiencing persistent, on-going system issues with all online immigration systems including the recently launched Employer Portal (the Portal). These issues include significant offline periods and other technical glitches, causing delays for employers and foreign nationals making work permit applications through the International Mobility Program (IMP).
The Portal was launched in an effort to improve the work permit application process, as well as compliance enforcement, for all Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) exempt work permits through the IMP. This program includes both intra-company transfers and free trade agreement work permits, such as NAFTA.
Despite ongoing problems with the Portal, use of the new platform was made mandatory on October 26, 2015, and use of the old form IMM 5802 was discontinued on November 21, 2015.
Green and Spiegel advises that all clients and applicants in the LMIA-exempt streams initiate their applications well in advance of any deadline in order to avoid unforeseen difficulties arising from these ongoing system issues.
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