Six common issues with IRCC applications and how to fix them

Applying to Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) online is an integral part of the immigration process, whether for those on a work or study permit, permanent residents, and even tourists.

Due to this widespread use, newcomers can sometimes experience technical issues in different parts of the application process—be it when opening and uploading documents, gathering necessary information, signing into their account, and much more. This article will cover many common technical issues that can occur when applying, and best practices to troubleshoot them.

Documents downloaded from IRCC don’t open/appear blank
A common issue for new users, being unable to open documents from IRCC can be frustrating but does come with a simple fix.

To be opened, IRCC documents require Adobe Reader 10 or higher. Adobe Reader is a free software manufactured by Adobe, that allows users to fill and sign PDFs electronically. Other PDF viewers (like Microsoft programs, or “Preview” on Apple operating systems) will either be unable to show the document or will show it as a blank file.