Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced recently that starting October 10, 2023, they will begin sending invitations to apply to 24,400 interested potential sponsors, with the goal of receiving up to 15,000 complete applications. Invitations will be sent over in the course of two weeks.
PLEASE NOTE THAT ONLY THOSE WHO SUBMITTED AN INTEREST TO SPONSOR FORM IN 2020, but did not receive an invitation to apply in 2021 or 2022, will have the opportunity to be selected or receive an invitation to apply. It is critical that if you meet the above requirement, must check the email addressed that you used when you created and submitted the interest to sponsor form starting October 10, 2023.
If you haven’t submitted an interest to sponsor form ever, then you will need to wait until IRCC will open the PGP Program to allow potential sponsors to create and submit an interest to sponsor form. While waiting, I strongly recommend that you check if you’re eligible. You can sponsor your own biological or adopted parents and grandparents if:
- You’re invited to apply by IRCC
- You’re at least 18 years old
- You live in Canada
- You’re a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada or a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act
- You have enough money to support the people you want to sponsor.
- You and your parents and grandparents meet all other requirements under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the Immigration Refugee Protection Regulations.
If you’re invited to apply, you will receive the invitation to the email address that you put on your 2020 interest to sponsor form. To ensure that you don’t miss IRCC’s invitation, please check the email account that you used in your 2020 interest to sponsor form and check as well your junk mail or spam folder to see if an email from IRCC is there. You will be given 60 days from the date that you receive the email (Invitation to Apply) to submit a complete application package to IRCC. Any late or incomplete applications will not be accepted by IRCC, and your application will be returned to you along with the processing fees.
You may not be eligible to sponsor your parents and grandparents if you:
- are in jail, prison or penitentiary
- didn’t pay back an immigration loan, a performance bond, a court ordered family support payment such as alimony or child support
- didn’t give the financial support you agreed to when you signed a sponsorship agreement to sponsor someone else in the past
- declared bankruptcy and are not discharged
- receive social assistance for a reason other a disability
- were convicted of a violent criminal offence, any offence against a relative or any sexual offence inside or outside Canada
- can’t legally stay in Canada and must leave the country because you received a Removal Order.
There may be other reasons that make you ineligible to sponsor your parents and grandparents.
If you have questions regarding the above article, you may contact Marjorie at [email protected]
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
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.
