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IRCC secure account: Register

You need to register to use the IRCC secure account.

Check if this is the right account for you

You can apply for these applications
  • work permits
  • Express Entry (immigrating as a skilled worker)
  • International Experience Canada
  • extending work and study permits
  • visitor records (to stay in Canada longer)
  • change your school (if you have a study permit)
  • change conditions on your work permit
  • Canadian citizenship certificates (proof of citizenship)
  • search of citizenship records
  • temporary health benefits for refugees and protected persons (the Interim Federal Health Program)

You might also need to use this account for these applications, depending on your situation:

If your application isn’t listed, review your program content to get instructions on how to apply:

You can check the status of these applications
  • applications you submitted in this account
  • these paper applications (after you link the application to your account):
    • Agri-Food Pilot
    • Atlantic Immigration Pilot
    • Atlantic Immigration Program
    • Caring for children
    • Caring for people with high medical needs
    • electronic travel authorization (eTA)
    • Express Entry
    • family sponsorship (excluding applications to become a sponsor)
    • Home Child Care Provider Pilot
    • Home Support Worker Pilot
    • in-Canada live-in caregivers
    • in-Canada protected persons and convention refugees (excluding dependant applications)
    • Interim Federal Health Program
    • International Experience Canada (IEC)
    • permanent resident card
    • Provincial Nominee Program
    • Quebec entrepreneurs
    • Quebec investors
    • Quebec-selected skilled worker
    • Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot
    • self-employed persons (including Quebec)
    • start-up visa
    • study permit and extension
    • Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident Pathway (TR to PR Pathway)
    • visitor visa
    • visitor record
    • work permit and extension

Can’t find your application? Get instructions on how to check your application status.

You can upload requested documents for these applications
  • applications you submitted in this account (only if we ask you for the document)
  • electronic travel authorizations (eTA) (only if we email you about submitting your documents)

Get more help with submitting documents we request.

Choose how you'll register and sign in

Option 1: GCKey username and password: Option 1 of 2

Register with a GCKey username and password
You have a GCKey username and password
  1. Select Register with a GCKey username and password.
  2. Enter your GCKey username and password to sign in.
You don’t have a GCKey username and password
  1. Select Register with a GCKey username and password.
  2. Select Sign up on the Welcome to GCKey page to create a GCKey username and password.
  3. Follow the prompts to:
    • set up your security questions and answers
    • enter your recovery email address
GCKey help

GCKey is not an account.

You still have to create an account in the IRCC secure account if you already have a GCKey username and password. This will match your GCKey username and password to your IRCC secure account profile.

You can use the same GCKey username and password:

  • to register and sign into any Government of Canada account or portal that uses GCKey
  • on different computers, phones and web browsers

Keep your browser updated to avoid technical issues.

Get more help with GCKey

Option 2: Canadian Interac® Sign-in Partner: Option 2 of 2

Register with Interac® Sign-in Partner

You may be able to sign in privately through your Canadian bank or credit union. Use your online banking ID and password to sign in.

Banks and credit unions that are Sign-In Partners:
  • Affinity Credit Union
  • ATB Financial
  • BMO Financial Group - Debit Card
  • CIBC-Banking that fits your life.
  • Coast Capital
  • Conexus
  • connectFirst
  • Desjardins
  • Libro
  • Meridian
  • National Bank
  • RBC Royal Bank
  • Scotiabank
  • Servus Credit Union
  • Simplii Financial
  • Tangerine - Forward Banking
  • TD Canada Trust EasyWeb
  • Uni
  • Vancity

If your bank or credit union isn't on this list, you must register for an account with a GCKey username and password.

We don’t share your account information with any Sign-In Partner bank or credit union. They also don’t share your banking information with us.

Already have an account? Sign in to the IRCC secure account

Help with your account

You forgot your GCKey password or username

Read the instructions for your situation.

Forgot your username and password
  1. Follow the steps to recover your username first.
  2. Once you have your username, follow the steps to recover your password.
Forgot your username
If you have a recovery email address
  1. Select GCKey username and password.
  2. Select Forgot your username? on the Welcome to GCKey page.
  3. Enter your recovery email address on the Recover Username Step 1 of 2 page.
    • You provided your recovery email address either when you signed up for a GCKey username and password or at a later time.
  4. Select Continue.
    • You'll be brought to a page that explains where we’ll email your username and what to do if you don't receive the email.
  5. Select Continue again.
  6. Check your email. You should get an email from the Government of Canada with your GCKey username.
  7. Sign in with your username and password on the Welcome to GCKey page.
If you don’t have a recovery email address
  1. Select GCKey username and password.
  2. Select Sign up on the Welcome to GCKey page to create a new GCKey username and password.
  3. Create a new account in the IRCC secure account.

During this process, you may be able to:

Forgot your password
  1. Select GCKey username and password.
  2. Select Forgot your password? on the Welcome to GCKey page.
  3. Enter your GCKey username.
  4. Select Continue.
Password reset using an email address
  1. Enter your email address.
  2. Check your email account. You should get an email from the Government of Canada with a confirmation code.
  3. Enter the confirmation code on the Forgot Your Password Step 2 of 4 page.
    • This page should load automatically after you enter your username and select Continue on the previous page.
  4. Select Continue.
  5. Enter the answer to the recovery question you’re prompted with in the My Recovery Answer field.
  6. Select Continue.
  7. Enter a new password in the New Password field.
  8. Re-enter that same password in the Confirm New Password field.
  9. Select Continue.
  10. Select Continue again on the Forget Your Password Complete page.
Password reset using recovery questions
  1. Select Recovery Q&A in the Recovery Questions and Answers box on the Forget Your Password Step 2 of 4 page.
  2. Enter your answers in the My Recovery Answer, My Memorable Person Answer and My Memorable Date fields.
    • You should find the questions and hints above each field.
  3. Enter a new password in the Create Your New Password field.
  4. Enter the same password in the Confirm Your New Password field.
  5. Select Continue.
  6. Select Continue again on the Forget Your Password Complete page.
    • If you correctly answered all the recovery questions, you'll automatically be brought to this page.
You lost or no longer use the email you registered with
  1. Sign up for a new GCKey username and password.
  2. Create a new account in the IRCC secure account.

You may not be able to find your application in your new account. You may need to link your application to your new account.

Get more help with GCKey

GCKey revoked

You can’t recover your GCKey username and password if they were revoked. They can be revoked if:

  • your username and password are compromised
  • you haven’t used GCKey in the last 2 years
    • Don’t use the same username and password you use for GCKey for any other online accounts.

If your GCKey username and password were revoked, you can choose a different Sign-In method or sign up for a GCKey username and password again.

To sign up for a new GCKey username and password:

  1. Select GCKey username and password.
  2. Select Sign up on the Welcome to GCKey page to create a new GCKey username and password.
  3. Create a new account in the IRCC secure account.

During this process, you may be able to:

More help options
Help Centre

Find answers to questions about

GCKey

For more information and help:

Contact the GCKey Service Desk

GCKey representatives can only help with GCKey issues (including multi-factor authentication). They don’t have access to any Government of Canada account or application information.

  • Canada and the United States: 1-855-438-1102
  • Text telephone (TTY/TDD): 1-855-438-1103
  • Outside Canada and the United States: 1-800-2318-6290

GCKey representatives are available to assist you by phone year round, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Sign-In Partner

Find help and frequently asked questions in the Sign-In Partner menu after you select Interac® Sign-In Partner.

You can also read our answers to common Sign-In Partner questions.

GCKey two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication protects your account. You need to choose a second authentication method (other than your username and password) to use each time you sign in.

Set up your two-factor authentication method

Change your two-factor authentication method

You need access to your existing email or authenticator app, or to your saved recovery codes.

If you have access to your two-factor authentication method
  1. Sign in to your account with your GCKey username and password.
  2. Select Manage your two-factor authentication on the Welcome page.
  3. Select Change your two-factor authentication on the authentication success page.
  4. Follow the prompts to set up two-factor authentication again.
  5. Save your new recovery codes somewhere safe. Your old codes will no longer work.
If you don't have access to your two-factor authentication method
You have recovery codes:
  1. Sign in to your account with your GCKey username and password.
  2. Select Recover account on the two-factor authentication page.
  3. Enter one of the recovery codes you saved when you first set up two-factor authentication.
  4. Select Change your two-factor authentication on the authentication success page.
  5. Follow the prompts to set up two-factor authentication again.
  6. Save your new recovery codes somewhere safe. Your old codes will no longer work.
You don’t have recovery codes:
  1. Sign up for a new GCKey username and password.
  2. Create a new account in the IRCC secure account.
  3. Follow the prompts to set up two-factor authentication again.
  4. Save your new recovery codes somewhere safe. Your old codes will no longer work.

During this process, you may be able to:

Contact the GCKey Service Desk

GCKey representatives can only help with GCKey issues (including two-factor authentication). They don’t have access to any Government of Canada account or application information.

  • Canada and the United States: 1-855-438-1102
  • Text telephone (TTY/TDD): 1-855-438-1103
  • Outside Canada and the United States: 1-800-2318-6290

GCKey representatives are available to assist you by phone year round, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Get more help with two-factor authentication

Change your Sign-In Partner

If you moved to a new bank or credit union, you may be able to switch your Sign-In Partner:

  1. Select Canadian Interac® Sign-In Partner.
  2. Select Switch My Sign-In Partner from the menu on the Select a Sign-In Partner page.
  3. Follow the steps to change your Sign-In Partner.

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There are many accounts, for different services, across the Government of Canada. Find the service you need.

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