2025 Agri‑Food and Parent/Grandparent Caps

Summary#

These are two sets of ministerial instructions under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act about which immigration applications Canada will accept in 2025. One limits how many people can apply under the Agri-Food Immigration Class; the other pauses new parents-and-grandparents sponsorships so only applications already received in 2024 may be processed in 2025.

What it does#

• For the Agri-Food Immigration Class (calendar year 2025):

  • The Department of Citizenship and Immigration will accept up to 1,000 applications submitted online.
  • It will accept up to 10 applications submitted in alternate formats.
  • Applications are counted by when they are received, even if not complete. Only those that meet the required completeness rules will actually be entered into processing.
  • Applications that fail a separate exclusion rule (referred to in the source as section 11) will not count toward the cap and will not be accepted.
  • These instructions take effect at midnight Eastern Standard Time on January 1, 2025.

• For parents and grandparents under the family class (calendar year 2025):

  • No new permanent-resident or related sponsorship applications from parents or grandparents will be accepted for processing unless they were already received in 2024.
  • The department will accept up to 15,000 sponsorship applications received in 2024 to be processed in 2025.
  • Only applications that were submitted in 2024, meet the handling conditions (including being linked to invitations from an earlier interest-to-sponsor process), and use the required electronic format will be processed.
  • Applications that do not meet the conditions will be returned and fees refunded.
  • These instructions also take effect on January 1, 2025.

• Common points:

  • Requests made from outside Canada on humanitarian and compassionate grounds that accompany an application not accepted for processing will not be processed.
  • Applications are processed in the order they meet the conditions and are received.

Who's affected#

• People who want permanent residence under the Agri-Food Immigration Class, and anyone helping them apply (employers, representatives). Those planning to apply in 2025 should note the small caps (1,000 online, 10 alternate).
• People who want to sponsor a parent or grandparent, and the parents or grandparents themselves:
  • Only sponsors and applicants with applications or sponsorships received in 2024 (and meeting the stated conditions) will be considered in 2025.
  • Potential sponsors who hoped to apply in 2025 but did not submit in 2024 will not have their applications accepted unless new instructions are issued.
• If it’s unclear whether a specific application meets the technical conditions referenced in the instructions, applicants will need to check the department’s guidance or contact the department for clarification.

Why it matters#

• These instructions set clear numerical limits and a temporary pause. That changes who can apply in 2025 and could delay immigration paths for some people in agriculture and families wanting to reunite with parents or grandparents.
• People planning to apply should verify whether their application was received in 2024 or fits within the small 2025 caps, because applications that are not accepted will be returned and fees refunded.