Applicants of Temporary Residence in Canada must provide biometrics again if they apply on or after February 23, 2023.
There was a temporary suspension of biometrics collection for these applicants because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Candidates, including students, workers, and visitors, must provide their biometrics once again if they extend their stay in Canada. Biometrics are necessary to restore the status as a student, worker, and visitor.
IRCC informs that there are over 70 Service Canada collection centers across Canada. You must head to a biometrics collection center if you are applying for an extension of a study permit, visitor visa, or work permit from within Canada. Booking an appointment is mandatory to provide biometrics at these centers.
IRCC exempts the following individuals from biometrics requirements:
- Individuals below 14 and above 79
- Existing permanent residents and citizens
- Visitors from visa-exempt nations
- Official or diplomatic visa holders
- Hades of state
- Temporary residents awaiting a decision on the PR application
- American visa holders planning to transit through Canada
The first year of the COVID-19 pandemic registered a sharp drop in the number of newcomers from 341,175 to 184,595. Canada stopped biometrics collection by closing down the biometrics collection centers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The policy to exempt all temporary resident permit applicants from biometrics requirements was effective from July 15, 2022. The immigration bounced back in 2021 as Canada welcomed 406,040 new permanent residents that year.
