Do not assume it does. Follow the actual instructions and obtain timely assistance with any outstanding response.
Preserve the existing calendar
A new service start date is not a government extension. Identify the required action and submission method rather than letting an administrative handover obscure the deadline.
Read the official terms and record the date, choose the individual or corporate framework, settle who is joining, obtain legal advice on admissibility and category eligibility, pay the processing fee, complete vetting, and only then is the gift payable. Check the latest official instructions for the applicable steps and avoid setting housing, employment, or school plans around a timeline that was not independently verified for the applicant's own circumstances. Assess eligibility for the immigrant category that would follow before considering payment, confirm each family member's inclusion, then verify the current official terms on a recorded date. The official Gold Card page currently says the process should take weeks, but that estimate is not a guaranteed completion date, and an employer's enthusiasm does not shorten government vetting or create a visa number. Official material describes the process in terms of weeks, but that is a description rather than a commitment, and vetting, visa availability, an interview, or a further document request can each extend it.