Online Filing Required for Most PR Applications

Summary#

These are the Ministerial Instructions with respect to the submission of online applications for permanent resident visas and other documents under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. They require most permanent-residence and sponsorship applications to be filed online. The instructions took effect on November 9, 2023.

What it does#

• Requires that applications for permanent resident visas, applications for permanent resident status, and sponsorship applications listed below be submitted by electronic means (apply online) when filed on or after the instructions’ coming-into-force dates.
• Says an alternate application format will be provided to foreign nationals, sponsors, and representatives who are unable to apply online. The notice does not give detailed rules about who qualifies for that alternative or how it will be accessed.
• States that paper applications received after the coming-into-force date that were not submitted electronically will not be accepted and processing fees will be returned, except where another method is specifically made available by the Minister.
• Repeals the earlier instructions, Ministerial Instructions 61 (MI61) (which entered into force on September 23, 2022), effective November 9, 2023.
• Lists the immigration streams covered (these are the named classes and pilots that must use online filing). These include:
  • Permit Holder Class (sections 64 and 65 of the Regulations)
  • Quebec Skilled Worker Class (section 86)
  • Provincial Nominee Class (section 87), excluding applicants referred to in section 10.1 of the Act
  • Atlantic Immigration Class (section 87.3)
  • Quebec Investor Class (section 90)
  • Quebec Entrepreneur Class (section 97)
  • Start-Up Business Class (section 98.01)
  • Self-Employed Persons Class and Quebec Self-Employed Persons Class (sections 100 and 101)
  • Family Class (sections 116, 117 and 130), with some exclusions for certain parent/grandparent cases
  • Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class (sections 123, 124 and 130)
  • Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot
  • Home Support Worker Pilot
  • Home Child Care Provider Pilot
  • Agri‑Food Pilot
• Notes one clear exception: the instructions do not apply to Provincial Nominee, Atlantic Immigration Class, or Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot applications that are also submitted under the public policy for the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot.

Who's affected#

• People applying for permanent residence in Canada under the classes and pilots listed above. This includes:
  • foreign nationals filing their own applications,
  • sponsors (family members sponsoring someone),
  • authorized representatives who apply on someone’s behalf.
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) officers who handle and review these applications.
• People who do not have reliable internet access or who cannot use online systems. The instructions say an alternate format will be available, but the notice does not explain how that will work.

Why it matters#

• The change aims to speed up processing and let IRCC move applications to where staff capacity exists. That could mean faster decisions for some applicants.
• It makes online filing the default. People without easy online access could face extra steps or delays if the alternative process is limited or unclear.
• If someone sends a paper application after November 9, 2023 and it isn’t submitted in an approved alternative way, the application won’t be accepted and fees will be returned. This is important to avoid lost time and unexpected re‑filing.