Case Study _ IRCC | Nikitabhargava

Case Study

Simplifying Immigration Application Package for Better Access

Applying for permanent residency is a high-stakes, high-pressure process—especially for individuals already living in vulnerable conditions.

For out-of-status construction workers in the Greater Toronto Area, the application package intended to support them was difficult to navigate, leading to incomplete submissions, confusion, and avoidable rejections.

This project focused on rethinking that experience through a human-centred design approach—making the process clearer, more supportive, and easier to complete with confidence.

Role: End-to-end UX contribution

Timeline: 8 to 10 weeks

Tools:

Miro, Google Suite, Adobe Suite

Methods:

• Secondary research • Cognitive walkthrough • Heuristic evaluation • Interviews • Journey mapping • Prototyping • Personas • Journey Mapping • User & SME interviews

• Thematic analysis • Usability testing

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Understanding the Issue

Canada’s construction industry relies heavily on migrant workers, many of whom entered the country legally but have since fallen out of status. Despite contributing to the economy, these workers often live in vulnerable conditions—facing limited access to formal systems, social support, and stable employment.

To address this, a temporary public policy was introduced to provide a pathway to permanent residency for out-of-status construction workers in the Greater Toronto Area.

However, the application package designed to support this transition created significant barriers.

Applicants struggled with:

Complex, text-heavy forms and guides
Unclear instructions and terminology
Technical challenges (e.g., accessing and completing PDFs)

As a result, there was a high rate of incomplete applications and avoidable rejections—not due to eligibility, but due to usability issues.

Research, Synthesis & Design Direction

Building on Phase 1, we moved into validating insights and designing solutions.

This phase expanded earlier findings through user testing and expert interviews to better understand real-world usability challenges.

Conducted:

5 usability testing sessions with proxy users
5 SME interviews with UX and policy experts
Observed users completing real application tasks end-to-end

Participants were observed completing real application tasks to identify breakdowns in comprehension, navigation, and decision-making.

Key Focus Areas

Form comprehension and interpretation challenges
Accessibility and navigation issues
Emotional responses during task completion
Gaps between expert expectations and user behavior

Constraint

Testing was conducted with proxy users due to the sensitive nature of the target group.

The collected qualitative data were synthesized using thematic coding and journey mapping to uncover patterns in user behavior and pain points across the experience.

Key Themes Identified

Technical Barriers

PDF-only access created unnecessary friction before form entry
Users struggled even before starting the form

Lack of Clarity

Confusing terminology (e.g., ID/Client Number, name fields)
Unclear instructions for key form sections

Error Anxiety

Users were unsure if the answers were correct
No validation or reassurance during completion

Cognitive Overload

The guide was too long and text-heavy
Users skimmed instead of reading

Poor Structure

Important information is buried in dense content
Users had to search instead of flowing through tasks

These insights were mapped across the end-to-end journey to understand how usability issues compound over time, revealing breakdown points and opportunities for intervention.

Fragmented User Journey

Users experience:

Confusion while opening the form
Stress while interpreting unclear fields
Frustration due to missing instructions
Fatigue caused by heavy reliance on the guide

Design Solutions

Based on research insights and design recommendations, we structured solutions across three levels:

Short-term: Focused on immediate usability improvements
Mid-term: Focused on enhancing support and guidance systems
Long-term: Focused on system-level transformation

After implementing short- and medium-term improvements, the user journey was reimagined to reduce friction and improve task completion.

Seamless form access across devices
Clear understanding of each field without external help
Reduced the need to switch between form and guide
Real-time validation improves confidence
Faster and more structured completion flow

The redesigned experience transforms a fragmented process into a guided, confidence-driven journey.

Led the design and prototyping phase from concept to validation, translating research insights into tangible solutions.

Designed:

A restructured application form aligned with user needs and task flow
The information architecture of the guide to improve clarity and navigation
Low- and high-fidelity prototypes to test and validate design decisions
Scripted and created instructional video concepts to support user guidance and reduce errors

Iteration Process

Prototypes were refined through usability testing feedback, focusing on:

Improving clarity of instructions
Reducing dependency on the guide
Simplifying navigation structure
Enhancing user confidence during form completion

Key Outcomes:

Faster task completion during testing
Reduced confusion in interpreting form fields
Improved user confidence in submission accuracy
Lower dependency on external support materials

We defined core experience principles that guided all design decisions and prototyping iterations.

Experience Principles:

Clarity over interpretation → Every field should explain itself
Reduce cognitive load → Eliminate unnecessary reading and recall
Design for accessibility → Support low-literacy and multi-device users
Prevent errors proactively → Guide users before mistakes happen
Structure drives comprehension → Strong hierarchy enables flow

Application of Principles: These principles directly informed

Form redesign decisions
Guide restructuring strategy
Prioritization of recommendations
Iteration of prototypes

We focused on understanding both the system and the users navigating it.

We started by unpacking both the policy context and the lived reality of users.

We explored:

Why the program exists and who it serves
The vulnerabilities and motivations of out-of-status workers
Broader gaps in immigration systems and government communication

We then evaluated the application package in depth:

Conducted a cognitive walkthrough of each form and the guide
Mapped every step, required document, and decision point
Captured user thoughts, confusion, and time taken at each stage

This was complemented by a heuristic analysis to identify usability gaps.

Finally, we created personas to ground our understanding of user needs and constraints.

Outcome:
A clear view of where and why users struggle—across both system design and real-world context.

Aligned with IRCC goals:

This work reframed the problem from “form completion” to end-to-end user experience breakdown.

By addressing clarity, structure, and accessibility:

↓ Lower rate of incomplete applications
↓ Reduced client inquiries and complaints
↑ Improved client satisfaction
↑ Increased accessibility for vulnerable users

Reflection

This project reinforced the importance of:

designing for low-literacy and high-stress users
simplifying complex systems without reducing compliance
validating assumptions through real user testing
bridging policy intent with user experience reality

End-to-end contribution

Worked in a cross-functional team and contributed across the full lifecycle, with a focus on leading the prototyping phase.

I contributed to:

Research (secondary, walkthroughs, heuristic evaluation)
Interview planning and participation
Persona creation
Journey mapping (current & future state)
Data analysis and thematic coding
Experience principles
Solution design & prototyping (lead)
Usability testing

Objective & Research Question

Objective

We aimed to improve the usability of the application package by identifying barriers in the forms and guide, and translating those findings into actionable design recommendations.

Research Question

How can we improve the experience of completing the application package for out-of-status construction workers (OSW) in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)?

Case Study

Role: End-to-end UX contribution

Timeline: 8 to 10 weeks

• Secondary research • Cognitive walkthrough • Heuristic evaluation • Interviews • Journey mapping • Prototyping • Personas • Journey Mapping • User & SME interviews

• Thematic analysis • Usability testing

Understanding the Issue

Research, Synthesis & Design Direction

Building on Phase 1, we moved into validating insights and designing solutions.

Key Focus Areas

Constraint

Key Themes Identified

Design Solutions

Experience Principles:

Application of Principles: These principles directly informed

We focused on understanding both the system and the users navigating it.

Aligned with IRCC goals:

Reflection

End-to-end contribution

Constraints I Navigated

Reflection & Learnings

Objective & Research Question

Case Study

Role: End-to-end UX contribution

​

Timeline: 8 to 10 weeks

• Secondary research • Cognitive walkthrough • Heuristic evaluation • Interviews • Journey mapping • Prototyping • Personas • Journey Mapping • User & SME interviews

• Thematic analysis • Usability testing

Understanding the Issue

Key Focus Areas

Constraint