Section 87.31 — Immigration and Refugee Protection Act: Order in council

If the Governor in Council is of the opinion that the government of a foreign state or the competent authority of any other territory is unreasonably refusing to issue or unreasonably delaying the issuance of travel documents to citizens or nationals of that country or territory who are in Canada, the Governor in Council may make an order specifying one or more of the following: applications for temporary resident visas, work permits or study permits, or any combination of those types of applications, made by any citizen or national of that foreign state or territory are not to be accepted for processing if they are received during the period or periods set out in the order or, if a period is not set out, during the period that the order is in force; the processing of any of those types of applications, or any combination of them, made by any citizen or national of that foreign state or territory that are pending on the coming into force of the order or, if amended, the amendment, is to be suspended during the period or periods set out in the order or, if a period is not set out, during the period that the order is in force; or the processing of any of those types of applications, or any combination of them, made by any citizen or national of that foreign state or territory that are pending on the coming into force of the order or, if amended, the amendment, is to be terminated. An order made under subsection (1) may restrict the application of the order to applications, citizens or nationals within a class of applications, citizens or nationals that is specified in the order; provide for the retention, return or other disposition of applications; if the processing of applications is terminated, provide for the repayment of fees paid in respect of those applications; and provide for any other matter arising out of or ancillary to the exercise of the power conferred under that subsection. The fact that an application is retained, returned or otherwise disposed of does not constitute a decision not to issue the visa or permit in relation to which the application is made.