PARENT AND GRANDPARENT PROGRAM
For the 2024 intake, starting May 21, 2024, for the next two weeks, IRCC sent out invitations to apply for permanent residence (ITA’s), to randomly selected sponsors. IRCC sent out 35,700 invitations with the goal of accepting 20,500 complete applications.
Those who received an Invitation to Apply, have until August 2, 2024, at 11:59 pm EST to submit a complete application package.
If you did not receive an invitation to apply, you can’t submit a permanent residence application for your parents or grandparents.
So how does the program work?
First- Check first if you (the sponsor) meet the eligibility requirements as a sponsor. To become a sponsor, you must submit an interest to sponsor form. This form is currently closed, meaning you can’t submit an interest to sponsor form at this time. It was last available from October 13, 2020, to November 3, 2020.
Second- Upon closure of the online form, IRCC reviewed the from submission and remove any duplicates. IRCC randomly selected and invite potential sponsors to apply to sponsor their parents and grandparents. The invitations are sent by email and IRCC post the invitation status on their website.
In May 2024, IRCC sent out 35,700 invitations with the goal of accepting 20,500 complete applications. Only those who submitted an interest to sponsor form in 2020, we’re invited.
Third- Upon receipt of the Invitation to Apply, the sponsor and the principal applicant must submit the complete application package by August 2, 2024. There is no exception to the deadline as per the invitation to apply.
What it means to be a sponsor?
As a sponsor, you must commit to support the people you’re sponsoring (your parents and grandparents and their accompanying family members, if applicable). For a certain period, even if your situation changes. As a sponsor, you are expected to sign an undertaking and a sponsorship agreement.
The undertaking and sponsorship agreement
As a sponsor, you must sign an undertaking. In the undertaking, you’ll commit to:
-financially supporting the people you’re sponsoring for a period of time, called the undertaking period.
The undertaking period to sponsor your parents and grandparents is 20 years. If you live in Quebec, it’s 10 years.
The undertaking period starts the day the people you’re sponsoring become permanent residents.
-making sure the people you’re sponsoring won’t need to ask the government for social assistance.
If they receive social assistance during the time you’re responsible for them, you’ll have to re-pay the amount. You won’t be able to sponsor anyone else until you’re re-paid it.
Once your sponsored family members become permanent residents, there is no way to cancel or shorten the undertaking period.
You’re responsible for the people you’re sponsoring for the entire 20-year (or 10 in Quebec) period, even if
- the people you’re sponsoring become Canadian citizens
- your relationship with the people you’re sponsoring changes
- you or the people you’re sponsoring move to another province or country
- you have financial problems (for example: job loss or debt)
- you sent us a request to withdraw your sponsorship application and we received it after the people you’re sponsoring became permanent residents.
You can only withdraw your sponsorship application before the people you’re sponsoring became permanent residents.
CANADA ANNOUNCES NEW PILOT PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT CAREGIVERS AND CANADIAN FAMILIES, INTENDS TO MAKE THE CAREGIVERS PROGRAM PERMANENT
The two Caregiver pilot programs namely the Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot, will end on June 19, 2024. Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the Hon. Marc Miller announced a new enhanced caregiver pilots. This will allow caregivers to continue to come to Canada, as IRCC is working on making the caregiver pilot programs permanent.
The new pilot programs will provide home care workers with permanent residence (PR) on arrival in Canada. They will also be allowed to work for organizations that provide temporary or part-time care for people who are semi-independent or recovering from an injury or illness. This new pathway means that caregivers can more easily find proper work with reliable employers and have clear, straightforward access to permanent resident status as soon as they arrive in Canada. Through these new pilot programs, candidates interested in working in Canada’s home care sector will be eligible to apply if they meet the following criteria:
- attain a minimum of level 4 based on the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB)
- hold the equivalent of a Canadian high school diploma
- have recent and relevant work experience
- receive an offer for a full-time home care job
These new PR on arrival pilot programs mark an important step forward in Canada’s efforts to meet the evolving home care needs of its diverse population. More information will be available before the full launch of the pilots, including full eligibility criteria and details on how to apply.
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Contact Marjorie at [email protected]
A word of caution: You should not act or rely on the information provided in this column. It is not a legal advice. To ensure your interests are protected, retain, or formally seek advice from a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) in good standing of CICC. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of RCIC’s.
