Federal Immigrant Investor Program and Entrepreneur Program Applications: Budget 2014

Colin R. Singer
March 11, 2014

Federal Immigrant Investor Program and Entrepreneur Program Applications: Budget 2014

Operational Bulletin 566 – February 12, 2014

Summary

The presentation of the 2014 Budget took place on February 11, 2014. The Budget held a number of immigration-related announcements. This Operational Bulletin clarifies the immediate implications for processing federal applications under the:

Immigrant Investor Program and,
Entrepreneur Program

This Operational Bulletin does not apply to:

Investor and entrepreneur applicants selected by,
A specific province i.e. Quebec etc.

Background

Proposals within Budget 2014 (Economic Action Plan 2014) aim at:

Terminating applications and,
Returning the associated fees paid by certain federal Immigrant Investor Program and Entrepreneur Program applicants

This would be applicable for people who applied on or before the Budget Day (i.e. February 11, 2014.

For these proposals to come into force:

The Parliament needs to pass the government’s Budget Implementation Act and,
The Act needs royal assent for implementation

Processing Instructions

Currently, officers need to process federal Immigrant Investor Program and Entrepreneur Program applications as per routine office procedures. Officers need to ensure that they process these applications according to:

Current work plans that are,
Based on previously assigned targets

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) would publish further instructions concerning the federal Immigrant Investor Program and Entrepreneur Program applications affected by the Budget announcement.

Further, CIC would provide standardised communication lines to respond to clients and stakeholders shortly. This includes standardised text advising clients of: