Secure your IRCC accounts with multi-factor authentication

We’re using multi-factor authentication to keep your Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship (IRCC) accounts secure. Each time you use GCKey to access your account, you’ll need to use a multi-factor authentication method to confirm your identity. This mandatory step helps protect your personal information by preventing unauthorized access to your account.

On this page

• Accounts that use multi-factor authentication
• How to register
  • Step 1: Sign in or create an account using GCKey
  • Step 2: Choose a multi-factor authentication method
  • Step 3: Save your recovery codes
• After you register
  • If you need to recover or reset your multi-factor authentication method
• Get help with multi-factor authentication

Accounts that use multi-factor authentication

You must use multi-factor authentication if you’re signing in to your account with GCKey only. It isn’t required if you’re using the Sign-In Partner option.

These IRCC accounts require multi-factor authentication for GCKey:

1. IRCC Secure Account
2. Authorized Paid Representatives Portal
3. Employer Portal
4. Provincial and Territorial Partner Portal
5. Designated Learning Institutions Portal
6. Provincial and Territorial Public Health Authority Portal
7. Partner Portal (to access the Visa Application Centre Portal and the Validation Portal)

How to register

Once you sign in to your account, we’ll prompt you to register for multi-factor authentication.

Here’s how it works.

Step 1: Sign in or create an account using GCKey

When you use GCKey to sign in to an account or to create a new one, we’ll prompt you to register a device or provide your email address for multi-factor authentication.

Step 2: Choose a multi-factor authentication method

There are 3 methods you can choose from.

Use your smartphone or tablet (recommended)

You need an authenticator application to use your smartphone or tablet. You can download a free authenticator application for this.

After you choose to register your smartphone or tablet:

1. Using the authenticator application on your smartphone or tablet, scan the QR code or enter the secret key to generate a 6-digit passcode.
2. On the registration page, enter the 6-digit passcode from your authenticator application.
3. Select “Continue” to confirm your multi-factor authentication method.

No personal information is shared between the third-party application and the Government of Canada.

Use your desktop or laptop

You need an authenticator application to use your desktop or laptop. You can download a free authenticator application for this.

After you choose to register your desktop or laptop:

1. Using the authenticator application on your desktop or laptop, enter the secret key in the application.
2. On the registration page, enter the 6-digit passcode from your authenticator application.
3. Select “Continue” to confirm your multi-factor authentication method.

No personal information is shared between the third-party application and the Government of Canada.

Use an email address

To use your email for multi-factor authentication:

1. Enter your email address where we ask you for it and select “Continue.” We’ll send a one time 6-digit passcode to this email.
2. Enter the one-time passcode where we ask you for it on the registration page.
3. Select “Continue” to confirm your multi-factor authentication method.

Step 3: Save your recovery codes

After you confirm your multi-factor authentication method, we’ll show you 5 recovery codes. You can use these codes if you lose or damage your device, or if you delete or reinstall your authenticator app. Save them somewhere safe and accessible.

Once you confirm that you have safely stored your recovery codes, your registration is complete.

After you register

Each time you sign in to your account, we’ll prompt you to enter an authenticator code from the authenticator application or your email.

If you need to recover or reset your multi-factor authentication method

You can recover or reset your multi-factor authentication method if you

• lose or replace your device, or if your device is stolen
• change your phone number
• delete or re-install the authenticator application
• want to use a different multi-factor authentication option

To recover or reset your multi-factor authentication method:

1. Sign in to your account.
2. When prompted for your multi-factor authentication code, select “Recover account.”
3. Enter one of the recovery codes you saved when you first set up multi-factor authentication.
4. If you want to change your device or authentication method, select “Change your two-factor authentication.”
   • We’ll prompt you to set up multi-factor authentication again.
   • We’ll show you the new recovery codes. Save them in a safe place. Your old recovery codes will no longer work.
5. If you’re running out of recovery codes, select “Get new recovery codes.”
   • We’ll show you the new recovery codes. Save them in a safe place. Your old recovery codes will no longer work.

If you lose your recovery codes, you must create a new account.

Get help with multi-factor authentication

For help with multi-factor authentication only, call the GCKey Service Desk:

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

These representatives can only help you with technical issues related to multi-factor authentication. They don’t have access to your account or application information.