Could you or someone you know be a future Senator?
The Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments (Advisory Board) is seeking people who may be able to serve in the Senate of Canada.
Changes to the appointment process
On July 7th, 2026, Prime Minister Carney announced changes to the Senate appointment process, including expanding the criteria used by the Advisory Board to assess applications. The recruitment of candidates will have an enhanced focus on expertise in key Canadian strategic industries and emerging social and economic affairs, including trade, finance, artificial intelligence and digital technology, business, criminal justice and foreign affairs.
The Prime Minister also removed the non-partisanship criterion, recognizing the contributions made by Canadians who have chosen to serve in elected office or in other partisan roles.
What is the Senate’s role?
The Senate is the Upper House in Canada’s parliamentary democracy, uniting a diverse group of accomplished Canadians. Created to counterbalance representation by population in the House of Commons, the Senate not only defends regional interests, but also creates a space for the voices of historically underrepresented groups like Indigenous Peoples, racialized communities, persons with disabilities, and women.
What does a senator’s work involve?
Senators shape Canada’s future by participating in debates within the Senate Chamber, reviewing legislation or proposing their own bills, and managing their offices and staying in touch with the issues affecting the province or territory they represent. As members of Senate committees, they play an investigative role and undertake studies on challenges facing the country. These are important positions that provide a platform to speak out about the issues affecting everyone in Canada.
Once appointed, Senators serve until they reach the mandatory retirement age of 75, or until they choose to step down. Unlike Members of Parliament within the House of Commons, Senators are not elected.
For more information on the Senate, please refer to the Senate of Canada website.
New application review cycle
The dates by which the Advisory Board will start reviewing applications for each current or upcoming vacancy are or will be listed here soon. The Advisory Board encourages Canadians to apply or update their existing applications before these dates to ensure their documentation is considered for this cycle. Applications received on or after these dates could be considered for this cycle or retained for a future cycle at the Advisory Board’s discretion. Please note that applications are accepted at any time and are retained for two years.
Access the Application Forms
Learn how to apply, access the forms and templates, and login to the Senate Application Management System on the Government of Canada’s website.
Nominate, support and inform a potential candidate
You may also wish to nominate a candidate who meets the assessment criteria or support them by writing a reference letter. Note that reference letters must be submitted by the candidate.
