Bright Prospects for Parents and Grandparents Looking to Settle in Canada

Updated: Sep 10, 2018 | Tags: Canada Immigration, Canada Entry Requirements, Canada eTA

Introduction

Every year in Canada, families wishing to bring their parents and grandparents into the country under Canada immigration laws are looking to sponsor these family members so they can be accepted into the country. The Canadian government is currently aiming to improve the application intake system for parents and grandparents to endorse a greater number of applications in this category. This new move aims to bring parents and grandparents closer to their Canadian relations who may have settled in the country some years previously.

Application levels are on the rise

The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Ahmed Hussen, has made an announcement to say that in 2019, the Canadian government will welcome as many as 20,000 applications from individuals wishing to sponsor their parents and grandparents. This anticipated figure quadruples the number of applicants accepted back in 2014 when the program was relaunched. In that year, the number of accepted applications in the parents and grandparents category was merely 5,000.

Greater demand within the parents and grandparents program

The government has made the decision to raise applicant numbers, with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada accepting more paperwork for processing due to an increasing level of demand within the program for parents and grandparents. Nonetheless, applicant levels have actually fallen since 2011, when there were slightly less than 167,000 submissions. In June 2018, numbers were slightly below 26,000, which is quite a significant drop on the 2011 figures.

The cap for 2018 applicants has been set at 17,000 but the IRCC has dispatched more sponsorship invitations to those who sent in an "Interest to Sponsor" form at the start of 2018. People who have received an invitation to the second round can complete and submit their applications up to the start of October 2018.

The government has listened to stakeholders

In a further announcement, Minister Hussen has stated that, as a result of attentively listening to everyone involved in the program and analysing processes and procedures closely, the government will go ahead and make even more changes to the system for accepting applications to improve program access and the experience of their clients. The government hopes that modifying intake numbers and improving the process will allow them to be more flexible in dealing with applications to make sure that they can handle the maximum capacity. This will give many parents and grandparents the chance of being reunited with their families in Canada in the near future.

An online application for for sponsorship during 2019

During 2019, the form that potential sponsors must complete will be online. It can be downloaded and completed from the very start of the year. This means that potential sponsors can inform the IRCC of their intention to sponsor individuals in this category and give them the chance of settling in Canada. The process differs from previous years. This time, invitations sent to submit applications to sponsor parents and grandparents will be handled according to the order in which the completed forms are returned for processing. Applications will be dealt with right up to point where the maximum number of 20,000 has been reached, which is the 2019 cap. The government is expected to announce further improvements to the application process later in 2018.

The government shows their commitment

Supporting the program and commenting on it, Ahmed Hussen said that during the past few years, the government had made significant improvements to the parents and grandparents sponsorship process. This had enabled them to process many outstanding applications that had backed up in the system. Since the government is now accepting more applications and improving the system for the intake of parents and grandparents, they are showing just how committed they are to helping families within Canada to be united and to live and work as a family unit.

Just to reiterate and clarify the facts:

• In 2018, the IRCC will be processing 17,000 applications from families wishing to sponsor their parents and grandparents.
• Next year, in 2019, this number will increase to 20,000 as the new system gradually becomes more efficient and effective and can handle more applicants.

Potential all-round benefits from streamlining application processes

The new streamlined system bodes well for other categories of applications from people wishing to spend time in Canada. These include the Canada visa and Canada ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) systems. Anyone looking to apply for a Canada ETA can do so for just $7 CAD. Also, they can find out all about the application process online. By answering a few simple questions, applicants can learn whether they need a Canada visa or an ETA to visit or transition through Canada while complying with Canada immigration laws.