Family reunification is one of the pillars of Canadian immigration. There are many immigration programs to do so. The parents and grandparents program is one of the ways to reach that goal.
Parents and grandparents program
Canada’s parents and grandparents program is a lottery system where a permanent resident or a Canadian citizen can sponsor their parents or grandparents to become permanent residents.
How does it work?
The first thing to do to apply for this program is to submit an interest to sponsor to IRCC, then you will enter the lottery system and get invited to apply if you meet all the eligibility criteria. In 2021, 30 000 candidates were drawn from this system.
Eligibility criteria
– You are at least 18 years old
– Be a Canadian citizen, a Canadian permanent resident or registered as an Indian under the Canadian Indian act.
– You must meet the minimum necessary income requirements. IRCC needs proof that you can support your family and the people you are sponsoring. Normally they will look at your notice of assessment for the past 3 years.
– Sponsors need to sign an undertaking agreement. The undertaking period is 20 years for residents across Canada while it is 10 years for residents of Quebec. During this time sponsors are financially responsible for their parents and grandparents.
– In addition, your parents will have to undertake medical exams to ensure they are in good health, have a police certificate and submit their biometrics.
What if you haven’t been invited to apply
There are different immigration programs you can do to sponsor your family in Canada. If the parents and grandparents route doesn’t work for you, you can always try the super visa which is the next best alternative to sponsor your family.
The super visa gives the opportunity to your parents and grandparents the opportunity to visit Canada multiple times for 10 years, where they can stay up to 2 years at a time. Eligibility criteria are as follows:
– Have a signed letter from your child or grandchild who invites you to Canada that includes a promise of financial support for the length of your visit
– have medical insurance from a Canadian insurance company that is valid for at least 1 year and at least 100 000 coverage
– Provide medical exams and biometrics
Hire Swift Immigration for your family sponsorship application.
At Swift Immigration we specialize in family sponsorship cases, with 11 years of experience as an immigration consultant, we have helped many families reunite from across the world. We know what immigration officers are looking for, and we know how to work your application to make it a successful one! Book a consultation with us.