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On October 7 our office received two emails from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on the same day, each for a different client.

Under IRCC’s published process, once an applicant is in Canada and the permanent residence application has been approved, IRCC sends two emails: the first asks the applicant to reply with some basic information, and the second lets them know their permanent resident status is ready to be confirmed. In other words, these emails mean the applications have been approved and have moved into the final stage of confirming status and issuing the PR card.

The two clients are one step apart. One received the email asking for information, and we are assembling the details for the applicant and the accompanying family members. The other is already in the portal, with the address and photo checked against the requirements by our office before submission.

What happens next

Once the client confirms in the portal that they are in Canada, IRCC uploads the electronic Confirmation of Permanent Residence (e-COPR) to the account; IRCC states this can take up to a few weeks. After the photo is accepted, the PR card is mailed to the Canadian address the client provided. As of October 7, 2026, the processing time published on that IRCC page for a new PR card is 33 days.

Two points IRCC states plainly, and that we always raise with clients

First, declaring in the portal that you are in Canada does not by itself make you a permanent resident. IRCC’s wording is: “Declaring you’re in Canada does not mean you are a permanent resident yet.” Status is confirmed only once the process is complete.

Second, PR cards are not mailed to third-party addresses, and IRCC names family members and representatives specifically: “We don’t mail them to third party addresses, such as family members or representatives.” The same page states that failing to provide an address will delay the application. The address field must therefore hold a Canadian address where the client can reliably receive mail; an error here means delay, or a card that never arrives.

Completing the information, checking the address, meeting the photo requirements and keeping to the deadlines are handled by our office. Clients only need to supply the underlying details.

Congratulations to both clients.

This article contains no applicant information. The outcome of one case does not mean another application will receive the same result.