Immigration into Canada is a dream held by several people. This may be for the purposes of work, study, or for travel. The GCMS Notes IRCC issues are an important part of an immigrant’s application process.
The IRCC does not provide the applicant with exact details about the stage in which the application currently is. The GCMS Notes are required in order to accurately track the application. For instance, the applicant might be preparing for an interview for a job, or might be planning to take up residence in a new location in Canada.
The GCMS Notes is a sizeable document consisting of anywhere between 30 to 300 pages. On this page, we shall discuss the nature of the IRCC, which is the regulatory body when it comes to the issue of the GCMS Notes. Additionally, we shall also discuss various aspects related to the GCMS Notes IRCC itself, and how to get GCMS notes from Canada. In previous articles, we have discussed how to get GCMS Notes faster.
What is the IRCC?
The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada takes care of immigration affairs, and facilitates the onboarding of new immigrants. It is a department constituted under the federal government of Canada.
The scope of the department is both regulatory as well as administrative: it is involved in a variety of activities ranging from the processing of applications for immigration to the establishment of policies as well as regulations.
Previously, the IRCC was known as the Citizenship and Immigration Canada, or the CIC. The name was duly changed to IRCC in the year 2015. The renaming was not just a symbolic one, as policy-wise Canada sought to focus on all the aspects and motives of immigration in to the country.
The IRCC represents the liberal policy that the Canadian government holds towards immigrants. The Canadian government hopes to have a symbiotic relationship with immigrants, wherein there are mutual benefits for both. People immigrating to Canada will be able to prosper due to better availability of jobs as well as improved standard of living. This shall also facilitate the economic growth of the country.
The ‘R’ in the IRCC refers to the prospective opening for refugees in Canada. The Canadian government is dedicated to an open policy towards humanitarian and refugee immigrants. While the number of refugees continues to increase at an international level, Canada is committed to providing them with quality support.
Responsibilities of the IRCC
The main responsibilities of the IRCC are to deal with all affairs connected with immigration, refugees, and citizenship. It is the competent authority for developing policies related to the acquisition of citizenship, as well as issue GCMS Notes IRCC.
It also handles all the bureaucratic work related to the processing of immigration and refugee applications. Additionally, it is also responsible for providing newcomers into Canada with resources so that they can readily acclimatise to their new location of inhabitation.
The Canadian Government has entrusted the IRCC with the processing of not just visa applications, but also those for Electronic Travel Authorization applications. While it does the processing of the visas, the IRCC determines whether the applicant is admissible based on a string of factors.
On the other hand, the Electronic Travel Authorization application process is much more simple. The concerned document shall be electronically connected to an individual’s passport.
What is a GCMS Note?
The GCMS Notes IRCC issues refers to the Global Case Management System. It is a software system that the IRCC uses to process applications related to citizenship as well as immigration. Irrespective of the visa program that you might have applied to, the GCMS Notes IRCC issues maintains detailed records of the application file.
Details maintained in the GCMS Notes IRCC issues would include the documents that have been enclosed by the applicant, notes made by officers who were responsible for processing the file, as well as other details. Basically, the Notes are useful for the applicant in that they can understand how their application was reviewed by the visa officers.
What are CAIPS Notes?
CAIPS refers to the Computer Aided Immigration Processing System. These are essentially electronic notes which have information on the people who are applying for visa. The Canadian High Commission is responsible for maintaining documentation on all the applicants. Some of the details which are maintained include the location where the visa application was submitted, details of the assessment that were made, and so on.
What is the difference between a GCMS Note and a CAIPS Note?
The GCMS Notes IRCC replaced the CAIPS system in 2010 with the objective of processing immigration applications. The main functionality of the CAIPS system is now only in the domain of the database. Both, the CAIPS, and GCMS Notes provide important information. However there are some main differences which applicants need to be aware about.
The CAIPS contains generic updates on the status of the application. On the other hand, the GCMS Notes IRCC issues, have information in a much more rigorous manner.
The system allows you to purchase the CAIPS file directly from the IRCC. On the other hand, to get GCMS Notes would require the applicant to file an ATIP request, which is likely to take a bit more time. The price associated with getting CAIPS, too, is lower as compared to getting GCMS Notes.
What is the cost to order GCMS Notes from IRCC?
The GCMS Notes cost typically around in applying for an ATIP. Of course, the fees might also change with the passage of time. thus it is best to check the current cost on the official website of the GCMS Notes.
How to get GCMS Notes
GCMS Notes are the right of the applicant as provided under the Access to Information and Privacy Act. The ATIP is a law enacted by federal legislation which grants permanent residents of Canada the right to access information from any concerned government department. The following are the required steps to apply for GCMS Notes:
- The applicant needs to have a sponsor who is technically a permanent resident within Canada. In case the person is already present within Canadian territory, they can request the notes on their own behalf, and request the Notes for free under the Privacy Act.
- In case a sponsor is requesting on behalf of the applicant, the sponsor should duly receive a consent form. This may be sent to them through email etc, or other forms of getting the GCMS notes online.
How long does it take to receive the GCMS Notes IRCC?
As per legislation, the GCMS Notes should reach the applicant within a defined period of 30 days. The government authorities are under obligation to respond to the ATIP within 30 calendar days of receiving the application.
Of course, the concerned GCMS Notes processing time may be extended upon the occurrence of some specific situations. For instance, if the request is for a considerably large number of records, or additional time is required for translation purposes.
The time period would also be extended in case the request requires scanning through a substantially large number of records, and the operations of the government institution would get hindered in meeting the original deadline.
Interpretation of the GCMS Notes
At times, the GCMS Notes requested by the applicant can stretch to over hundreds of pages. Although, the most crucial section concerning the notes by the officers will be available on the last few pages of the concerned document. This is mainly what needs to be looked at, in order to understand the officer’s evaluation of the application status. In case it is not clear upon an individual reading, the user may consult some third party immigration professionals for a clearer interpretation of the GCMS Notes.
Conclusion
Thus, it is clear that the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is an important part of the government system within Canada, upholding the national values of diversity and inclusion. The IRCC significantly influences Canada’s policies concerning diversity, and keeps it intact through the respective measures on immigration.
The GCMS Notes IRCC issues are a right of the applicant under the ATIP Act. In this article, we have covered all the main pointers related to the GCMS Notes IRCC, and how to access as well as interpret them.
