Operational bulletins and manuals
Updates
Subscribe via RSSCitizenship and Immigration Canada and Canada Border Services Agency employees consult operational bulletins (OBs) and manuals for guidance in the exercise of their functions and in applying the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Citizenship Act and their Regulations.
Modernized format
CIC is changing the way program delivery information is presented. The modernized format combines the latest operational guidance and policy—including OBs—into one place.
The modernized format is being developed in phases, by business line. Refugee Protection is the first business line to be converted into the new format.
Guidance that is common to many business lines has also been converted to the new format. There is now a new centralized location for the following topics:
This page will be updated as new business lines become available.
Operational bulletins
In exceptional circumstances, OBs may be issued for one-time-only instructions or to provide urgent instructions to staff for a brief period while the operational manuals are being updated.
Operational manuals
The operational manuals are divided into different categories. Each manual, in turn, is divided into specific chapters and assigned a chapter number.
Citizenship Policy (CP)
- CP 1 – Citizenship Lines of Business (PDF, 80 KB)
- CP 2 – Decision Making (PDF, 80 KB)
- CP 3 – Establishing Applicant’s Identity (PDF, 218 KB)
- CP 4 – Grants (PDF, 160 KB)
- CP 5 – Residence (PDF, 141 KB)
- CP 7 – Waivers (PDF, 84 KB)
- CP 8 – Appeals (PDF, 129 KB)
- CP 9 – Acquisition and Loss of Canadian Citizenship (PDF, 166 KB)
- CP 10 – Proof of Citizenship (PDF, 154 KB)
- CP 11 – Search of Records (PDF, 94 KB)
- CP 12 – Documents (PDF, 64 KB)
- CP 13 – Administration (PDF, 183 KB)
- CP 14 – Adoptions (PDF, 433 KB)
- CP 15 – Guide to Citizenship Ceremonies (PDF, 887 KB)
- CP 16 – Reserved for future use
- CP 17 – Consular Manual (PDF, 167 KB)
Enforcement (ENF)
- ENF 1 – Inadmissibility (PDF, 620 KB)
- ENF 2 – Evaluating Inadmissibility (PDF, 551 KB)
- ENF 3 – Admissibility Hearings and Detention Review Proceedings (PDF, 280 KB)
- ENF 4 – Port of Entry Examinations (PDF, 640 KB)
- ENF 5 – Writing 44(1) Reports (PDF, 422 KB)
- ENF 6 – Review of Reports under A44(1) (PDF, 231 KB)
- ENF 7 – Investigation and Arrests
- ENF 8 – Deposits and Guarantees (PDF, 170 KB)
- ENF 9 – Judicial Reviews (PDF, 232 KB)
- ENF 10 – Removals (PDF, 451 KB)
- ENF 11 – Verifying Departure (PDF, 252 KB)
- ENF 12 – Search, Seizure, Fingerprinting and Photography (PDF, 994 KB)
- ENF 15 – Obligations of Transporters (PDF, 128 KB)
- ENF 16 – Reserved for future use
- ENF 17 – Maritimes Procedures (PDF, 427 KB)
- ENF 18 – War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity (PDF, 236 KB)
- ENF 19 – IAD Appeal Hearings (PDF, 324 KB)
- ENF 20 – Detention (PDF, 210 KB)
- ENF 21 – Recovering Missing, Abducted and Exploited Children (PDF, 231 KB)
- ENF 22 – Persons Serving Sentences (PDF, 196 KB)
- ENF 23 – Loss of Permanent Resident Status (PDF, 296 KB)
- ENF 24 – Ministerial Interventions (PDF, 349 KB)
- ENF 25 – Reserved for future use
- ENF 26 – Reserved for future use
- ENF 27 – Permanent Resident Card (PDF, 381 KB)
- ENF 28 – Ministerial Opinions on Danger to the Public and to the Security of Canada (PDF, 158 KB)
- ENF 29 – Alternative Means of Examination Programs (PDF, 274 KB)
- ENF 34 – Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration Pilot Program (PDF, 1,6 MB)
Temporary Foreign Workers Guidelines (FW)
Immigration Legislation (IL)
Note: This manual is not yet complete. New chapters will be posted on this site as they become available.
- IL 1 – Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
- IL 2 – Immigration Regulations
- IL 3 – Designation of Officers and Delegation of Authority
- IL 4 – Reserved for future use
- IL 5 – Immigration Rules
- IL 6 – Reserved for future use
- IL 7 – Reserved for future use
- IL 8 – Reserved for future use
- IL 9 – Official Languages Act
- IL 10 – Reserved for future use
Information Sharing (IN)
Inland Processing (IP)
- IP 1 – Temporary Resident Permits (PDF, 246 KB)
- IP 2 – Processing Applications to Sponsor Members of the Family Class (PDF, 406 KB)
- IP 3 – In Canada Processing of Convention Refugees Abroad and Members of the Humanitarian Protected Persons Abroad Classes
- IP 4 – Processing Live-in Caregivers in Canada (PDF, 254 KB)
- IP 5 – Immigrant Applications in Canada made on Humanitarian or Compassionate Grounds (PDF, 919 KB)
- IP 6 – Processing Temporary Resident Extensions (PDF, 101 KB)
- IP 7 – Entrepreneur Program (PDF, 164 KB)
- IP 8 – Spouse or Common-law Partner in Canada (PDF, 331 KB)
- IP 9 – Use of Representatives Paid or Unpaid (PDF, 228 KB)
- IP 10 – Refusal of National Security Cases / Processing of National Interest Requests (PDF, 181 KB)
- IP 13 – Start Up Business Class (PDF, 435 KB)
Reference (IR)
- IR 1 – Visitors (PDF, 63 KB)
- IR 3 – See Medical Requirements
- IR 5 – See Fees and cost recovery
- IR 6 – Immigration Service Delivery Network Abroad
Overseas Processing (OP)
- OP 1 – Procedures (PDF, 982 KB)
- OP 2 – Processing Members of the Family Class (PDF, 437 KB)
- OP 3 – Adoptions (PDF, 141 KB)
- OP 4 – The processing of applications that include a request for humanitarian and compassionate or public policy consideration (PDF, 555 KB)
- OP 5 – See Resettlement from overseas.
- OP 6 – Federal Skilled Workers (PDF, 465 KB)
- OP 6a – Federal Skilled Workers (PDF, 623 KB)
- OP 6b – Federal Skilled Workers (PDF, 526 KB)
- OP 6c – Federal Skilled Worker Class – Applications received on or after May 4, 2013 (PDF, 553 KB)
- OP 7a – Quebec Skilled Workers (PDF, 185 KB)
- OP 7b – Provincial Nominees (PDF, 190 KB)
- OP 8 – Entrepreneur and Self-Employed (PDF, 378 KB)
- OP 9 – Investors (PDF, 203 KB)
- OP 10 – Permanent Residency Status Determination (PDF, 474 KB)
- OP 11 – Temporary Residents (PDF, 278 KB)
- OP 12 – Students (PDF, 553 KB)
- OP 14 – Processing Applicants for the Live-in Caregiver Program (PDF, 394 KB)
- OP 15 – See Medical Requirements
- OP 17 – Loans (PDF, 351 KB)
- OP 20 – Temporary Resident Permits (PDF, 275 KB)
- OP 21 – Appeals (PDF, 143 KB)
- OP 22 – Judicial Review (PDF, 186 KB)
- OP 24 – Overseas Processing of Family Members (PDF, 222 KB)
- OP 25 – Canadian Experience Class (PDF, 387 KB)
- OP 25a – Canadian Experience Class (PDF, 331 KB)
- OP 26 – Federal Skilled Trades Class (PDF, 496 KB)
- OP 27 – Start Up Business Class (PDF, 181 KB)
Protected Persons (PP)
- PP 1 – See In-Canada claims.
- PP 3 – See Pre-removal risk assessment.
- PP 4 – See Applications for permanent residence from protected persons.
Identity Management (IM)
- Date Modified:
