Canada Gazette, Part I, Volume 159, Number 1: GOVERNMENT NOTICES

January 4, 2025

DEPARTMENT OF CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION

IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE PROTECTION ACT

Ministerial Instructions regarding the processing of applications under the Agri-Food Immigration Class

These Instructions are published in the Canada Gazette in accordance with subsection 87.3(6) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (the Act) by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (the Minister) as, in the opinion of the Minister, these Instructions will best support the attainment of the immigration goals established by the Government of Canada.

Overview

These Instructions are directed to officers who are responsible for handling and/or reviewing applications under the Agri-Food Immigration Class.

These Instructions provide that the cap on the number of applications accepted for processing in 2025 is calculated on the basis of applications received regardless of their completeness pursuant to section 10 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (the Regulations) and that a separate intake cap is established for applicants using alternate formats.

Cap on the number of applications to be accepted for processing in 2025

For the Agri-Food Immigration Class, in the calendar year 2025,

1. The Department of Citizenship and Immigration (the Department) will accept for processing a maximum of 1 000 applications for a permanent resident visa as a member of the Agri-Food Immigration Class submitted using electronic means (online).
2. The Department will accept for processing a maximum of 10 applications for a permanent resident visa as a member of the Agri-Food Immigration Class submitted using alternate formats.

Applications will be counted towards the cap by the number of applications that can be accepted for processing regardless of whether they meet requirements specified in section 10 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (the Regulations). Notwithstanding the methodology for counting the number of applications received, only applications that meet the requirements of section 10 of the Regulations and are determined to be complete according to the associated application kit requirements in place at the time the application is received by the designated office will be entered into processing.

For greater certainty, applications that do not meet the requirements of section 11 of the Regulations will not count towards the number of applications received and will not be accepted for processing.

In calculating the caps, applications will be considered in order of the date on which they are received. Applications received on the same date will be considered for processing having regard to routine office procedures.

Disposition of applications

Applicants whose applications do not meet the criteria described above shall be informed that their application does not qualify for processing and shall have their application and corresponding fees returned.

Humanitarian and compassionate requests

A request made under subsection 25(1) of the Act from outside Canada and that accompanies an application that was not accepted for processing under the Instructions will not be processed.

Coming into effect

These Instructions take effect at midnight Eastern Standard Time on January 1, 2025, and apply to all applications for permanent residence under the Agri-Food Immigration Class received on or after midnight Eastern Standard Time on January 1, 2025.

December 19, 2024

The Hon. Marc Miller, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration

DEPARTMENT OF CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION

IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE PROTECTION ACT

Ministerial Instructions with respect to the processing of applications for a permanent resident visa made by parents or grandparents of a sponsor as members of the family class and the processing of sponsorship applications made in relation to those applications

These Instructions are published in the Canada Gazette in accordance with subsection 87.3(6) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (the Act).

These Instructions are given, pursuant to section 87.3 and subsections 92(1.1) and (2) of the Act, by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration as, in the opinion of the Minister, these Instructions will best support the attainment of the immigration goals established by the Government of Canada by seeing families reunited in Canada.

These Instructions are intended to ensure that as of January 1, 2025, no new permanent resident visa applications made by parents or grandparents of a sponsor and no sponsorship applications made in relation to those applications are received for processing until further Instructions are issued. Unless a new intake for the 2025 calendar year is implemented, for the 2025 calendar year, the Department of Citizenship and Immigration (the Department) will only be accepting for processing permanent resident visa applications made by parents or grandparents of a sponsor and sponsorship applications made in relation to those applications that were received in 2024 pursuant to the conditions outlined below.

Scope

These Instructions apply to applications for a permanent resident visa of a sponsor’s parents or grandparents made under the family class, referred to in paragraphs 117(1)(c) and (d) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (the Regulations), respectively, as well as to sponsorship applications made in relation to those applications.

Applications received in 2024

These Instructions authorize sponsorship applications received in 2024 and made in relation to applications for a permanent resident visa, which are made by sponsors’ parents or grandparents under the family class, to be accepted for processing in the 2025 calendar year, which begins on January 1, 2025, and ends on December 31, 2025. Applications will be accepted into processing in accordance with the conditions established in the Instructions given on April 12, 2024, for applications received by the Department in the 2024 calendar year. For clarity, these conditions are reproduced below.

Interests to sponsor

The Department accepted interests to sponsor from persons who wanted to sponsor a parent or grandparent beginning at noon, Eastern Daylight Time, on October 13, 2020, and ending at noon, Eastern Standard Time, on November 3, 2020. The interests to sponsor were to have been completed and submitted to the Department using the electronic means available for this purpose, and if a potential sponsor was unable to submit an interest to sponsor by the electronic means made available by the Department due to a mental or physical disability, the Department made alternate formats available.

Invitations to submit a sponsorship application

Invitations to submit a sponsorship application were issued to potential sponsors in 2024 using a randomized selection process from among non-duplicate interests to sponsor received in 2020 that were not yet issued an invitation. Invitations issued by the Department were not transferable.

Applications submitted by electronic means

In order to be accepted for processing, any sponsorship or permanent resident visa application referred to in these Instructions that was received in 2024 must have been submitted using electronic means (apply online).

An alternate application format would be provided to foreign nationals, sponsors, and their representatives who were unable to apply online.

Applications received by the Department on or after the coming into force of these Instructions that were not submitted by electronic means will not be accepted and processing fees will be returned, except in the case of foreign nationals, sponsors or authorized representatives who may submit an application by any other means that are made available or specified by the Minister for that purpose, in accordance with these Instructions.

Conditions — sponsorship applications

In order to be processed, any sponsorship application referred to in these Instructions that was received in 2024 and that has not been returned under section 12 of the Regulations for not meeting the requirements of sections 10 and 11 of the Regulations — for example by not using all the applicable forms provided by the Department in the application package made available on the website of the Department or by not including all information, documents and evidence referred to in paragraph 10(1)(c) of the Regulations — must meet the following conditions:

• (a) the sponsorship application is made by a person who, having indicated — during the period during which they could do so — their interest in making a sponsorship application by means that have been made available by the Department for that purpose, has been invited to make the application;
• (b) the sponsorship application indicates the same information (name, date of birth, address, country of birth, copy of status in Canada document [including its number and must be one from the list of acceptable documents listed in Guide 5772 — Application to Sponsor Parents and Grandparents, made available on the website of the Department and as amended from time to time]) that was included with the interest to sponsor in relation to which the invitation to make a sponsorship application was issued by the Department; or, in the case of any difference in information between the interest to sponsor and the sponsorship application, the application includes an explanation of the reason for the change in information and satisfactory evidence that the application pertains to the same potential sponsor identified on the interest to sponsor in relation to which the invitation to make a sponsorship application was issued by the Department;
• (c) in the event duplicate interest to sponsor forms were submitted, the sponsorship application is made in relation to an invitation that is based on the most recent interest to sponsor form accepted by the Department from persons who wanted to sponsor a parent or grandparent beginning at noon, Eastern Daylight Time, on October 13, 2020, and ending at noon, Eastern Standard Time, on November 3, 2020;
• (d) the sponsorship application is accompanied by the documents required by the application package made available on the website of the Department, as amended from time to time; and
• (e) the sponsorship application has been received by the Department no later than by the deadline indicated on the sponsor’s invitation to make a sponsorship application, which shall be at least a period of 60 calendar days from the date the Department sent the sponsor an invitation to make a sponsorship application. If, however, the sponsorship application and fees required to be paid pursuant to the Regulations are received within this period, but some documentation required by these Instructions or the Regulations is missing, the Department shall ordinarily grant the sponsor an extension of an additional 30 calendar days from the date the Department issues the request to submit the missing documentation.

Conditions — permanent resident visa applications

In order to be processed, any permanent resident visa application referred to in these Instructions that was received in 2024 and that has not been returned under section 12 of the Regulations for not meeting the requirements of sections 10 and 11 of the Regulations — for example by not using all the applicable forms provided by the Department in the application package made available on the website of the Department or by not including all information, documents and evidence referred to in paragraph 10(1)(c) of the Regulations — must meet the following conditions:

• (a) the permanent resident visa application is made by an applicant sponsored by a person whose sponsorship application met all of the conditions for processing sponsorship applications established by these Instructions;
• (b) the permanent resident visa application is accompanied by the documents required by the application package made available on the website of the Department, as amended from time to time; and
• (c) the permanent resident visa application has been received by the Department no later than by the deadline indicated on the sponsor’s invitation to make a sponsorship application, which shall be at least a period of 60 calendar days from the date the Department sent the sponsor an invitation to make a sponsorship application. If, however, the permanent resident visa application and fees required to be paid pursuant to the Regulations are received within this period, but some documentation required by these Instructions or the Regulations is missing, the Department shall ordinarily grant the applicant an extension of an additional 30 calendar days from the date the Department issues the request to submit the missing documentation.

Number of applications to be accepted for processing in a year

Only applications received in 2024 will be accepted for processing in 2025.

These Instructions authorize a maximum of 15 000 sponsorship applications received in 2024 and made in relation to applications for a permanent resident visa, which are made by sponsors’ parents or grandparents under the family class, to be accepted for processing in the 2025 calendar year, which begins on January 1, 2025, and ends on December 31, 2025.

This maximum may be amended in accordance with any subsequent Instructions the Minister may provide. Unless subsequent Instructions are given for the 2025 calendar year, no other permanent resident visa applications made by parents or grandparents under the family class and no sponsorship applications made in relation to those applications will be accepted for processing in 2025.

Order for processing

Applications meeting the applicable conditions established by these Instructions are processed in the order in which they are received by the Department.

Humanitarian and compassionate requests

A request made under subsection 25(1) of the Act from outside Canada and that accompanies an application that was not accepted for processing under these Instructions will not be processed.

Disposition of applications

Any application that does not meet the applicable conditions established by these Instructions will be returned.

Coming into effect

These Instructions take effect on January 1, 2025.

December 19, 2024

The Hon. Marc Miller, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration

PRIVY COUNCIL OFFICE

Appointment opportunities

We know that our country is stronger — and our government more effective — when decision-makers reflect Canada’s diversity. The Government of Canada has implemented an appointment process that is transparent and merit-based, strives for gender parity, and ensures that Indigenous peoples and minority groups are properly represented in positions of leadership. We continue to search for Canadians who reflect the values that we all embrace: inclusion, honesty, fiscal prudence, and generosity of spirit. Together, we will build a government as diverse as Canada.

We are equally committed to providing a healthy workplace that supports one’s dignity, self-esteem and the ability to work to one’s full potential. With this in mind, all appointees will be expected to take steps to promote and maintain a healthy, respectful and harassment-free work environment.

The Government of Canada is currently seeking applications from diverse and talented Canadians from across the country who are interested in the following positions.

Current opportunities

The following opportunities for appointments to Governor in Council positions are currently open for applications. Every opportunity is open for a minimum of two weeks from the date of posting on the Governor in Council appointments website.