Automating IRCC PDFs is a challenging task due to several technical limitations. Over the years, we’ve conducted extensive research and development and consider ourselves experts in the field of automation.
In this article, we share insights into our process and outline the steps we continually take to enhance it, ensuring the best possible experience for you and your clients.
Forms Mapping
Here are the internal steps we follow to map PDFs to our Questionnaires to enable autofill.
Step 1: Each PDF is uploaded to our portal, all fields are detected, extracted, and imported to our servers.
Step 2: Our team carefully maps each PDF field to the new Questionnaire fields, creating a complete 1-to-1 mapping.
Step 3: The forms are tested by autofilling, then downloading and viewing them in Adobe. We then TAB through every field to trigger the form’s internal validation logic. Skipping this step can lead to IRCC rejecting the form. Hold down the TAB key until all fields have been tabbed over. After reviewing, click Validate if the button is available, then generate the barcodes.
Step 4: We test uploading the PDF to IRCC, since autofill can sometimes cause IRCC to reject the upload. This final step is part of our QA process to ensure the forms meet IRCC standards and prevent any issues.
Step 5: The forms are then published and made live for everyone to use.
In this recording, you can see how easily we map the IRCC's PDF Date of Birth field to our Questionnaire's Date of Birth field.
Autofill now takes only a few seconds
🥳 Fast autofill has been improved as of December 1, 2025 and is only supported when using the newer questionnaires provided.
Completing the Questionnaire
Before requesting autofill for your forms, ensure your client has completed a questionnaire assigned from any of the supported categories below.
Questionnaires should be attested by your clients as fully and truthfully completed, which will then flag them as complete and ready to be used for autofilling their forms.
Autofill Forms
When requesting autofill, make sure to not only review the form in your browser but also download it in Adobe Reader and hold the TAB key to ensure every field is tabbed through. This step is crucial to trigger the PDF’s internal logic and reduce the risk of the form being rejected by IRCC. Once the data is verified, click Validate to generate barcodes, then upload the form back to the client’s case and share it for review.
This feature can save you and your team hours each month and increase your capacity to serve more clients.
In the video below, you can see that autofill now takes under 10 seconds.
FAQ
How are forms maintained if a new version is launched? We are notified nightly if a new version of a form is released. Mapping changes are rarely required, and when they are, they can typically be completed in under an hour using the tools we’ve developed.
Why does my autofill request take a few seconds for some forms, while others take hours? This happens if you are still using the legacy questionnaires. Once you switch to the new questionnaires, you will benefit from the fast fill. Until then, legacy questionnaires may take up to 24 hours to complete.
What if I created my own custom questionnaire, will this support autofill? No, custom questionnaires do not support autofill since we only manage our own supported questionnaires. We strongly recommend using the new questionnaires provided.
Can I get access to the mapping tool? Our mapping tools and processes are part of our internal workflow and constitute our Intellectual Property. Mapping requires specialized knowledge and training, so we manage it internally to ensure the best experience for everyone.
Forms automation is an ongoing effort, and we are committed to expanding support for all immigration pathways.
What's next?
We’ll be automating the Online PR Portals in an upcoming release, so stay tuned.