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Team

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LOB:

STUDY PERMIT

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Demographic

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WHY

What is the status of my application?

Why I am waiting on this call for so long?

What does this checkbox mean?

How can I connect with call centre from my country?

Why was I rejected?

How to track the webform I raised?

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Methodology

Surveys

User Interviews

Literature

Review

Affinity Mapping

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From recruitment:

Most of the International students didn't call
Those who called, were in a “desperate situation”

Questionnaire results - Insights

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Questionnaire results - Insights

“Apparently they never received the formulaires I filled, they were never attached to my file”

“They replied saying they would call me

but never did”

“...due to the pandemic process was slow, and I got worried, so I kept searching if there was anything I could do”

50%

42%

25%

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Questionnaire results - INSIGHTS

“I had an agent so I didn’t need to worry much. But I still searched info to make sure I’m on the right track”

Documents

Information regarding the process

Payment

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Questionnaire results - INSIGHTS

“I tried to find information on their web page but it's very bad distributed and is hard to find the right things. “

Could be relevant for the solution

73%

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QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS

83%

50%

16%

23%

54%

15%

8%

3-4 months

0-2 months

Ongoing

5-6 months

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User Persona

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User Persona

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Study permit Application Journey

Waiting

Wait patiently with a 3 months estimated in mind（and is aware that it might take even longer during Covid）
Actively checking the status in her IRCC account
Start to care about others’ progress with application and compare
Double-check some detailed information to make sure they get everything done and in the right way
calling , recalling …

Apply / Re-Apply

Start the application process with excitement and anticipation.

Actively seek info through all accessible channels to figure out how-to and make sure doing everything properly

Study Begin

Smoothly transit to study life: with excitement and reasonable challenges

3. Suddenly realize there’s something wrong with the document they got

Get an answer /& doc

Approval:

Confirm the document is right; prepare to get the permit; Get the doc when arriving

2. Get refused:

Seek info to figure out the reason

�“I’m in a terrible situation” “I don't understand why I got rejected exactly”�

“I’m stressed. I really need some feedback, any info with my application”

“I know it’s gonna take a while, but I hope I could get some update”

2 mos

4 mos

6 mos +

1 mon

3mos

5 mos

�“What should I do next”�

“I’m concerned.”“Did I provide that correctly? Is there something wrong?”

“What should I do to fix…?!”

“I wish somebody could tell me earlier”

Doing

Feeling & Thinking

Why call CSC

To clarify which specific information she should put in

“I’m not sure…”

To feel on track, by having a real person “from” IRCC talking to her

To obtain the specific status of the case

To ensure she provide the right information

To understand the specific reason why she get refusal, and what should be done to get it right

To know what she can do to fix

To see if there is any chance for expediting her case

😔😯☺️😳😌🤨😩😒🧐🤩😕🙁☹️😣😖😟😫😩😭😢🥺😤🤯😳

😊😎😉😭😰😵👀

🧐

👀

😖

😕

☹️

😫

😭

🤩

☺️

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WAITING

ABROAD

IN CANADA

KEY INSIGHTS

Willing to wait patiently

Not receiving any feedback for 3-4 months= trigger

They compare their process / Life keeps happening

From abroad they cannot call the CSC (in theory)

Program-related deadlines put on stress

Enough anxiety to manage to call from abroad

The time allowed to stay is limited

*Trick: apply as if they’re outside Canada

Don’t know what to do after receiving approval

"At least knowing the application isn't.

being reviewed would relief some.

anxiety from applicants".

WAITING:

In general students are willing to wait patiently and don’t plan on calling after submitting application

Not receiving any feedback or update on the status of their application can be stressful

"At least knowing the application isn't being reviewed would relief some anxiety from applicants"

Life keeps happening, they need to define their work situation, housing, traveling plans, etc

ABROAD:

The majority of students apply from abroad so they cannot call IRCC (in theory)

When they can start virtually they do but program-related deadlines put stress on the situation (end of period of free withdrawal, new term delivered only in person)

Some of them start feeling so anxious about the waiting that they manage to call from abroad

INSIDE CAN:

If they’re inside of Canada the time is limited and they get stressed

They need to apply as if they’re outside Canada, but they don’t know that (consultants do know)

They don’t know what to do exactly after receiving approval (flag pooling)

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REJECTON

LANDING and Sudying

KEY INSIGHTS

Need further explanation about the reasons

Withdraw or delay the program can be costly

Can’t access easily to the officer’s notes

The college may provide support

Might call:

i) Changing programs/colleges

ii) Withdrawal or failing classes

iii) Extending study permit

iv) Errors in the document

“No one told me about the officer’s notes, not even the CSC agent told me about them.

I recently found out.".

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The line

THE NEED

response

KEY INSIGHTS

Mostly looking for human interaction

Keep & recommend calling even if CSC can’t help

Expect: updates/responses/explanations/platform

Willing to wait on the line (~45 mins)

Option of calling-back is great!

Many calls get disconnected

Hard to follow menu

Not very helpful

Cases of wrong/missmatching info. from CSC

“It’s not just to get the problem solved, it’s to. feel visible...have someone recognizing you..

We’re humans, we need that touch".

They’re not looking for CSC to really expedite the process, They’re expecting information - 1. any updates about their application; 2. confirm them when they have concerns or not sure about something; 3. Clarify the reasons for their refusal; 4) indications on platform errors

CALLING:

Many calls get disconnected

Pressing the wrong button increase the anxiety

Applicants are willing to wait on the line (30-45 mins), especially when calling from abroad

The option of calling-back is well appreciated

Most of them keep calling and would suggest other applicants to try to call, even after knowing the CSC agents cannot give any detailed information

Some applicants call mostly looking for human interaction (emotional reasons)

“It’s not just to get the problem solved, it’s to feel we’re visible...have someone recognizing you. We’re humans, we need that touch"

Consultants and lawyers may call on behalf of the applicants at any point

There have been cases when agents from the CSC give wrong or missmatching information

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Experience principles

Be actively

informed

Finding extensive solutions

Consistency and reliability among sources

Feel guided step by step

Feeling the human touch

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Thank you

https://infogram.com/study-permit-dashboard-1hd12yxwjegew6k?live

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Create a web-based contextual Search service for Study permit applicants

Actively Send relevant information to Study permit applicants according to the stage of the process (e-mail and text messages)

Create complementary multimedia resources with information for common cases (videos, visual guides)

Possible solutions

1.

2.

Needed:

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Study permit applicants Search service

Geographical location

Nationality

Where I am in the process

Browse

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Study permit applicants Search service

Geographical location

Nationality

Where I am in the process

Browse

Inside Canada

Outside Canada

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Study permit applicants Search service

Geographical location

Nationality

Where I am in the process

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Study permit applicants Search service

Geographical location

Nationality

Where I am in the process

Browse

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Study permit applicants Search service

Geographical location

Nationality

Where I am in the process

Browse

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.VideoS selection for you.

.Updates and relevant links.

.GUIDES and tips.

Results OF YOUR SEARCH

Crucial updates on study permit applications:

http://ircc…

Which is the estimated time of response?

http://ircc...

What’s happening right now in the immigration system?

http://ircc…

My application was rejected, now what?

Why was my application rejected?

Is it true that the new AI produced massive rejections?

Outside Canada

Located in India

Application rejected

How to access the officer’s notes?

Should I ask for a Judicial Review?

Should I re-apply?

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IRCC

Hello Aleyna, IRCC has compiled a list of resources that you might find useful while waiting for the decision on your application, that you may find at http://ircc…

IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada)

To: Aleyna Özdemir

Dear Aleyna,

We know you’ve been waiting for 45 days for our response on your study permit application. Originally, the time of response was estimated to be 70 days, but due to a new prioritization of applications made in order to respond to the recent crisis in Kazajistan, the processing time has increased in around 30 more days. For this reason, the response on your application might be received in approximately 55 days.

Note that each case is different, and the decision process is carefully made case by case, so this estimated time should be taken as a reference but in no case as a rule. Our officers are working really hard to take the best decision on each of the cases they revise.

We want to ensure you that your application is important to us and for this we have compiled a list of resources that may help you understand better the current situation of your application, what to expect, and what you can do in this stage of your application.

Kind regards.

The Client Support Services of IRCC

Updates in the estimated time of response on your application

Hello Aleyna, IRCC has updated the status of your application from SUBMITTED to IN REVISION. You can follow this and other updates on you application in your account at http://ircc…

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IRCC

IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada)

To: Aleyna Özdemir

Dear Aleyna,

We know you’ve been waiting for 45 days for our response on your study permit application. Originally, the time of response was estimated to be 70 days, but due to a new prioritization of applications made in order to respond to the recent crisis in Kazajistan, the processing time has increased in around 30 more days. For this reason, the response on your application might be received in approximately 55 days.

Note that each case is different, and the decision process is carefully made case by case, so this estimated time should be taken as a reference but in no case as a rule. Our officers are working really hard to take the best decision on each of the cases they revise.

We want to ensure you that your application is important to us and for this we have compiled a list of resources that may help you understand better the current situation of your application, what to expect, and what you can do in this stage of your application.

Kind regards.

The Client Support Services of IRCC

Updates in the estimated time of response on your application