Air travel COVID rules and immigration limits

Summary#

This Canada Gazette issue collects several government notices. Key items include new immigration instructions that limit and schedule processing of parents-and-grandparents sponsorships, a wide-ranging Transport interim order (No. 49) that adds COVID-19 rules for air travel and aerodrome access, a Health guidance on drinking-water temperature, and a public consultation on spectrum in the 3650–3900 MHz (3800 MHz) band.

What it does#

• Ministerial Instructions with respect to the processing of applications for a permanent resident visa made by parents or grandparents of a sponsor (Immigration and Refugee Protection Act)

  • Says no new parents/grandparents permanent-resident applications will be taken starting January 1, 2022, unless new instructions are issued.
  • Limits how many sponsorship applications from earlier intakes will be accepted for processing: a cap of 11,000 applications in 2021 (from the fall 2020 intake) and a cap of 30,000 sponsorship applications received in 2021 to be processed in the 2022 calendar year.
  • Confirms requirements about how interests to sponsor and invitations worked (electronic submissions, time windows, duplicate removal) and sets typical deadlines for invited sponsors to submit full application packages (60 days, with possible 30-day extension).

• Interim Order Respecting Certain Requirements for Civil Aviation Due to COVID-19, No. 49 (Transport)

  • Sets mandatory pre‑departure COVID‑19 molecular test rules for many flights to Canada: negative tests from specimens collected within 72 hours before the flight’s scheduled departure (or a qualifying positive test from 14–180 days prior).
  • Defines “fully vaccinated” (completed vaccine regimen at least 14 days before accessing certain airport/aerodrome property) and creates rules requiring evidence of vaccination for passengers and many airport/aerodrome workers at listed airports.
  • Requires airlines and operators to run health checks, require mask use in specified situations, and notify passengers of possible provincial/federal measures.
  • Lists aerodromes covered by the vaccination and restricted‑area rules (Schedule 2: major Canadian airports).
  • Allows targeted exceptions and accommodation paths (medical, certain travel purposes, documented religious accommodations) but sets verification, timing and record‑keeping rules.
  • Designates numerous contraventions with administrative penalties (see “Who’s affected” for amounts).
  • Repeals the previous Interim Order No. 48 and introduces reporting and record retention obligations for carriers, screening authorities and aerodrome operators.

• Guidance on the Temperature Aspects of Drinking Water (Health)

  • Publishes a short guidance document summarizing how water temperature affects treatment, distribution and in‑building plumbing.
  • Replaces the older technical temperature guideline document and recommends source‑to‑tap risk management and operational monitoring for water utilities.

• Consultation on a Policy and Licensing Framework for Spectrum in the 3800 MHz Band (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada — ISED)

  • Opens a public consultation on licensing for the 3650–3900 MHz band and related licence conditions in the 3450–3650 MHz band.
  • Invites comments by February 15, 2022 and reply comments by March 7, 2022. The consultation also asks about measures to support rural and remote connectivity.

• Shipping‑related exemptions (Transport / Canada Shipping Act, 2001)

  • Grants narrow exemptions to the federal vessel vaccine‑mandate interim order for certain government or provincial operators (Government of Canada vessels, New Brunswick, Ontario, Société des traversiers du Québec) effective November 30, 2021, subject to conditions such as testing, limits on crew movement, and compliance with local policies.

• Other routine notices

  • Appointment opportunity announcements from the Privy Council Office and other administrative items appear in the same issue.

Who's affected#

• People trying to sponsor parents or grandparents to immigrate:
  • Potential sponsors who submitted interests to sponsor in the fall of 2020 or sponsorship applications in 2021 are the ones covered. New applicants after January 1, 2022 are generally not being accepted unless new instructions are issued.
• Air travelers and airport users:
  • Passengers on flights to Canada and on flights departing from the listed aerodromes.
  • People accessing restricted areas at those aerodromes (airport staff, contractors, suppliers).
  • Airlines and private flight operators, aerodrome operators, NAV CANADA, and screening authorities who must implement the new health checks, vaccination checks, testing requirements and recordkeeping.
• Workers at airports and related services:
  • Affected “relevant persons” include employees, contractors and service providers whose duties involve commercial flight operations or interacting in person with people who will board flights.
• Water system operators:
  • Water utilities and operators responsible for source‑to‑tap management and for maintaining treatment and distribution systems.
• Wireless industry and communities seeking better rural connectivity:
  • Telecom companies and stakeholders invited to comment on the 3800 MHz band licensing.
• Certain vessel operators:
  • The named government departments and provincial ferry operators covered by the exemption letters (subject to their specific conditions).
• Everyone dealing with these rules should also note penalties:
  • The Interim Order sets administrative penalty amounts up to $25,000 for corporations and many violations carry up to $5,000 for individuals (Schedule 4 lists specific amounts for many designated provisions).

If anything above is unclear in the original notices (for example precise operational steps or how specific exemptions are applied), the Gazette text presents the legal wording and implementation details; those bodies (Transport, Immigration, ISED, Health) are the contact points for clarifications.

Why it matters#

• The immigration instructions change who can apply and when. If you wanted to sponsor a parent or grandparent, these instructions affect whether your application will be accepted and when it will be processed.
• The Transport interim order changes routine parts of travel: pre‑departure testing, mask rules, proof of vaccination in many cases, and who can access sensitive parts of airports. That affects passengers, airport workers, and service providers, and includes enforcement and fines.
• The water‑temperature guidance helps utilities reduce health and aesthetic problems tied to temperature; it’s practical for operators and indirectly for anyone who drinks tap water.
• The ISED consultation will shape future wireless auctions and could affect how quickly higher‑capacity mobile services reach cities and rural or remote areas.
• Exemptions for some vessel operators mean some government or provincial ferry services are allowed different rules, but usually with compensating conditions (testing, limited crew movement) — relevant if you work for or rely on those services.

If you want, I can pull the exact wording of a specific section (for example the vaccination definition, the list of covered aerodromes, or the immigration cap language) and show the relevant lines from the Gazette notice.