The Canadian government has announced changes to how sponsorship applications will be submitted under the parent and grandparent visa programmes next year.
Rather than the January rush to submit applications by courier or mail, those wanting to bring their parents or grandparents to Canada will now have 30 days to fill out an online form to indicate their interest. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will then randomly choose 10,000 individuals from those who filled out the form, and those people will be invited to send in their complete application package.
In recent years, IRCC had limited the number of parent and grandparent applications it would accept each year, in a bid to manage intake and interest in the programme, and keep the number of applications from growing.
“We’re listening to what past applicants had to say and making the process fairer for people who want to sponsor their parents or grandparents,” said John McCallum, John McCallum, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. “We’re ensuring everyone can access the application process by giving them the same chance to have their name chosen.”
Family reunification is currently a key immigration commitment of the Government of Canada.
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Article published 16th December 2016