The Immigration Liaison Unit of the Office of Protocol

The Immigration Liaison Unit of the Office of Protocol provides the following services:

  • Support for visas for first entry to Canada - processing information requests from diplomatic missions and international organizations established Canada regarding foreign representatives who intend to take up a posting in Canada or their accompanying family members who are eligible for accreditation. Detailed instructions are circulated to missions. To obtain the most updated instructions, missions should contact the Immigration Liaison Unit.
  • Domestic worker accreditation program - processing requests submitted pursuant to the policy entitled Hiring a domestic worker and related accreditation program.
  • Locally-engaged staff - processing requests regarding the hiring of locally engaged staff who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents. Further information can be found in the policy entitled Locally-Engaged Staff: Eligibility and Application Information.
  • Support for United Nations experts on mission – processing service requests regarding assignments in Canada of experts on missions.
  • Support for post-accreditation study and work permits for eligible dependents of foreign representatives - processing requests for information from diplomatic missions and international organizations to allow eligible accredited dependent children to remain in Canada to pursue studies following the departure of the foreign representative or to obtain a post-graduation work permit. For more information regarding these programs, please contact the Immigration Liaison Unit.

Important notice concerning requests for information submitted for friends, relatives, or others who are ineligible for accreditation.

In order to focus completely on its mandate and comply with Canada’s privacy legislation, the Office of Protocol’s Immigration Liaison Unit cannot:

  • Assist in the processing of visa applications for persons who intend to come to Canada  for official visits, or as tourists, students or temporary workers.
  • Provide any information pertaining to the status of individual (private) immigration files for persons in Canada or abroad.
  • Help with expediting the processing of applications or redirect enquiries to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
  • Provide redress in cases of unfavourable decisions by IRCC.

For requests of this nature, applicants are encouraged to contact Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), noting that IRCC does not respond to unsolicited third-party enquiries without prior client authorization due to privacy legislation. For assistance with official visits and other high-profile visitors, missions should contact the geographic bureau responsible for their mission.