Feedback Needed for the E-petition - Work/Study Permits & Insurance for Super Visa holders

[LolaPM]

Hello,

My name is Lola, I am a permanent resident of Canada. I brought my Mom to Canada on Super Visa, however, as you know, she cannot work and isn't covered by the provincial insurance. I find it very challenging for her to integrate into Canadian society - she doesn't have many opportunities to socialize, and even though she is able and would love to work, she can't because she's not allowed to do so. I also find it frustrating that I cannot add her to my employer-provided insurance as you can with a spouse - I don't understand the difference between adding a spouse or your mother if the fees you're paying are the same.

Anyways, I am sure some of you experienced similar issues, so I decided to start an e-petition on the House of Commons website and I am looking for your feedback on my initial draft:

Petition to the House of Commons

Whereas:

● Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the rule of law and respect for human rights and democracy
● To support Canada’s post-pandemic recovery and chart a more prosperous future, the Government of Canada set a target of welcoming 401,000 new permanent residents in 2021, as part of the 2021–2023 Immigration Levels Plan
● Many of these permanent residents are separated from their families and Family Sponsorship program is a lottery program that provides opportunities to sponsor their family relatives to small amount of permanent residents
● Canada provides an opportunity for permanent residents and citizens to apply for Super Visa, a 10-year visa that allows 2 years stay, for their parents and grandparents, however Super Visa holders cannot study or work and not covered by provincial health system
● Many of these parents and grandparents already contributed to the Canadian economy by paying international students fees, housing, food, and other expenses for their children who graduated from Canadian institutions - almost 54,000 former international students settled permanently in Canada in 2018
● The program to sponsor your spouse to become a permanent resident in Canada is easier than sponsoring your parents or other relatives, however families are not just two spouses and Canada should recognize that

We, the undersigned, citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:

1.Allow Super Visa holders to work and study so they can integrate in Canadian society and contribute to Canadian economy
2.Provide provincial insurance to Super Visa holders or allow permanent residents/citizens to add their parents/grandparents to employer-provided health insurance
3. Make it easier for children and grandchildren of Super Visa holders to apply for Family sponsorship (permanent residency)

Let me know if you have any edits/comments/feedback - I am planning to set it up as an e-petition and share the link here for signatures once it's final.

Thanks in advance,

Lola

 

[scylla]

Hello,

My name is Lola, I am a permanent resident of Canada awaiting my citizenship ceremony. I brought my Mom to Canada on Super Visa, however, as you know, she cannot work or study and isn't covered by the provincial insurance. I find it very challenging for her to integrate into Canadian society - she doesn't have many opportunities to socialize, and even though she is able and would love to work, she can't because she's not allowed to do so. I also find it frustrating that I cannot add her to my employer-provided insurance as you can with a spouse - I don't understand the difference between adding a spouse or your mother if the fees you're paying are the same.

Anyways, I am sure some of you experienced similar issues, so I decided to start an e-petition on the House of Commons website and I am looking for your feedback on my initial draft:

Petition to the House of Commons

Whereas:

● Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the rule of law and respect for human rights and democracy
● To support Canada’s post-pandemic recovery and chart a more prosperous future, the Government of Canada set a target of welcoming 401,000 new permanent residents in 2021, as part of the 2021–2023 Immigration Levels Plan
● Many of these permanent residents are separated from their families and Family Sponsorship program is a lottery program that provides opportunities to sponsor their family relatives to small amount of permanent residents
● Canada provides an opportunity for permanent residents and citizens to apply for Super Visa, a 10-year visa that allows 2 years stay, for their parents and grandparents, however Super Visa holders cannot study or work and not covered by provincial health system
● Many of these parents and grandparents already contributed to the Canadian economy by paying international students fees, housing, food, and other expenses for their children who graduated from Canadian institutions - almost 54,000 former international students settled permanently in Canada in 2018
● The program to sponsor your spouse to become a permanent resident in Canada is easier than sponsoring your parents or other relatives, however families are not just two spouses and Canada should recognize that

We, the undersigned, citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:

1.Allow Super Visa holders to work and study so they can integrate in Canadian society and contribute to Canadian economy
2.Provide provincial insurance to Super Visa holders or allow permanent residents/citizens to add their parents/grandparents to employer-provided health insurance
3. Make it easier for children and grandchildren of Super Visa holders to apply for Family sponsorship (permanent residency)

Let me know if you have any edits/comments/feedback - I am planning to set it up as an e-petition and share the link here for signatures once it's final.

Thanks in advance,

Lola

IMO this needs some edits. Just my two cents of course.

#1 - Drop the bit about studying and focus on working. Nothing is stopping parents / grandparents from applying for a study permit if they wish to study in Canada. They can do this udner the laws now. Anyone who is not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident in Canada and who wants to study above the high school level needs a study permit. This includes dependent children and spouses. So parents aren't being treated any differently here. To ask for an exemption from the study permit requirement for parents when such an exemption is not granted to more immediate family members (i.e. spouse and dependent children) is unrealistic and IMO weakens your argument.
#2 - Drop the bit about insurance policies. Allowing parents / grandparents to be added to employer-provided health insurance policies has nothing to do with immigration. You need to drop this. Even if your parents were Canadian citizens, you still couldn't add them. Employer insurance policies only classfy spouse / common law partners and minor children as dependents. They don't cover parents. This has nothing to do with immigration policies. It's what insurance providers are and are not willing to cover based on the fees paid by corporations.

 

[scylla]

Hello,

My name is Lola, I am a permanent resident of Canada awaiting my citizenship ceremony. I brought my Mom to Canada on Super Visa, however, as you know, she cannot work or study and isn't covered by the provincial insurance. I find it very challenging for her to integrate into Canadian society - she doesn't have many opportunities to socialize, and even though she is able and would love to work, she can't because she's not allowed to do so. I also find it frustrating that I cannot add her to my employer-provided insurance as you can with a spouse - I don't understand the difference between adding a spouse or your mother if the fees you're paying are the same.

Anyways, I am sure some of you experienced similar issues, so I decided to start an e-petition on the House of Commons website and I am looking for your feedback on my initial draft:

Petition to the House of Commons

Whereas:

● Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the rule of law and respect for human rights and democracy
● To support Canada’s post-pandemic recovery and chart a more prosperous future, the Government of Canada set a target of welcoming 401,000 new permanent residents in 2021, as part of the 2021–2023 Immigration Levels Plan
● Many of these permanent residents are separated from their families and Family Sponsorship program is a lottery program that provides opportunities to sponsor their family relatives to small amount of permanent residents
● Canada provides an opportunity for permanent residents and citizens to apply for Super Visa, a 10-year visa that allows 2 years stay, for their parents and grandparents, however Super Visa holders cannot study or work and not covered by provincial health system
● Many of these parents and grandparents already contributed to the Canadian economy by paying international students fees, housing, food, and other expenses for their children who graduated from Canadian institutions - almost 54,000 former international students settled permanently in Canada in 2018
● The program to sponsor your spouse to become a permanent resident in Canada is easier than sponsoring your parents or other relatives, however families are not just two spouses and Canada should recognize that

We, the undersigned, citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:

1.Allow Super Visa holders to work and study so they can integrate in Canadian society and contribute to Canadian economy
2.Provide provincial insurance to Super Visa holders or allow permanent residents/citizens to add their parents/grandparents to employer-provided health insurance
3. Make it easier for children and grandchildren of Super Visa holders to apply for Family sponsorship (permanent residency)

Let me know if you have any edits/comments/feedback - I am planning to set it up as an e-petition and share the link here for signatures once it's final.

Thanks in advance,

Lola

One more thing. You need to revise the wording around being able to work. A parent in Canada can do that now if they are able to secure a job offer and approved LMIA (in that case a parent can apply for a closed work permit). I think what you are asking for is an open work permit. You need to be specific in exactly what you are asking.

 

[LolaPM]

One more thing. You need to revise the wording around being able to work. A parent in Canada can do that now if they are able to secure a job offer and approved LMIA (in that case a parent can apply for a closed work permit). I think what you are asking for is an open work permit. You need to be specific in exactly what you are asking.

You're right, thanks for all your feedback! I thought about it more, and I think that it could be useless to ask for provincial insurance coverage, and it's more important to focus on the Open Work permit request.

I've re-written the petition:

Whereas:

● Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the rule of law and respect for human rights and democracy
● To support Canada's post-pandemic recovery and chart a more prosperous future, the Government of Canada set a target of welcoming 401,000 new permanent residents in 2021 as part of the 2021–2023 Immigration Levels Plan
● Many of these permanent residents are separated from their families, and Family Sponsorship program is a lottery program that provides opportunities to sponsor their family relatives to the limited, small amount of permanent residents
● Canada provides an opportunity for permanent residents and citizens to apply for Super Visa, a 10-year visa that allows a 5-year stay, for their parents and grandparents however Super Visa holders cannot currently apply for an open work permit
● During their 5-year stay in Canada, parents and grandparents still can't apply for an open work permit. Therefore, they are limited to a closed LMIA work permit that provides minimal job opportunities
● During these 5 years, children and grandchildren can apply to sponsor their parents and grandparents, but the process can be lengthy and they might not benefit from the lottery system
● Many parents and grandparents are still willing and able to work in Canada and possess expertise that can benefit Canadian society and economy
● Many of these parents and grandparents already contributed to the Canadian economy by paying international students fees, housing, food, and other expenses for their children who graduated from Canadian institutions - almost 54,000 former international students settled permanently in Canada in 2018
● The ability to apply for an open work permit will help parents and grandparents feel more self-sufficient, contribute to the Canadian economy and improve the mental health of both children and parents since, currently, the whole financial burden is on children


We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:

1. Allow Super Visa holders to apply for an open work permit so they can integrate into the Canadian society and contribute to the Canadian economy

I think this sounds more realistic.

 

[Copingwithlife]

So in a nutshell you want the Government to give open work permits to individuals based solely because their children chose to come to Canada ? So you don’t want the parents to have to jump thru any hoops to get a LMIA ? Basically giving parents open access to the job market , more so then even someone who maybe is highly educated etc hold a masters PHD ?

 

[scylla]

You're right, thanks for all your feedback! I thought about it more, and I think that it could be useless to ask for provincial insurance coverage, and it's more important to focus on the Open Work permit request.

I've re-written the petition:

Whereas:

● Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the rule of law and respect for human rights and democracy
● To support Canada's post-pandemic recovery and chart a more prosperous future, the Government of Canada set a target of welcoming 401,000 new permanent residents in 2021 as part of the 2021–2023 Immigration Levels Plan
● Many of these permanent residents are separated from their families, and Family Sponsorship program is a lottery program that provides opportunities to sponsor their family relatives to the limited, small amount of permanent residents
● Canada provides an opportunity for permanent residents and citizens to apply for Super Visa, a 10-year visa that allows a 5-year stay, for their parents and grandparents however Super Visa holders cannot currently apply for an open work permit
● During their 5-year stay in Canada, parents and grandparents still can't apply for an open work permit. Therefore, they are limited to a closed LMIA work permit that provides minimal job opportunities
● During these 5 years, children and grandchildren can apply to sponsor their parents and grandparents, but the process can be lengthy and they might not benefit from the lottery system
● Many parents and grandparents are still willing and able to work in Canada and possess expertise that can benefit Canadian society and economy
● Many of these parents and grandparents already contributed to the Canadian economy by paying international students fees, housing, food, and other expenses for their children who graduated from Canadian institutions - almost 54,000 former international students settled permanently in Canada in 2018
● The ability to apply for an open work permit will help parents and grandparents feel more self-sufficient, contribute to the Canadian economy and improve the mental health of both children and parents since, currently, the whole financial burden is on children


We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:

1. Allow Super Visa holders to apply for an open work permit so they can integrate into the Canadian society and contribute to the Canadian economy

I think this sounds more realistic.

- Remove the "LMIA" from "limited to a closed LMIA work permit". A parent could qualify for an LMIA-exempt closed work permit. So I would just say "closed work permit" or "employer specific work permit".
- I think it's smart to focus this on one ask and limit it to the open work permit.
- I would remove the entire bullet regarding parents contributing to the economy by paying for their kids as international students. It's too much of a leap to say "many". Sure, some parents have done this. But many others were sponsored by people who immigrated to Canada without studying here. Or if you really want to keep this bullet, reword this and drop the "many". You don't know the stastics regarding how many parents paid for their kids education in Canada, how many of those kids are now PRs, and how many of those parents are now in Canada on super visas. So this isn't a fact-based statement. You want to stick to fact based statement.
- I'm not sure what I think about the last line regarding mental health and financial burden. One of the basic premises of the super visa is that the children sponsoring their parents for the super visa have sufficient income to support them.

FYI - there have been a number of similar petitions in the past. Try to find an opposition MP who is willing to back this. That's really the only way this has any chance of making a difference.

 

[LolaPM]

So in a nutshell you want the Government to give open work permits to individuals based solely because their children chose to come to Canada ? So you don’t want the parents to have to jump thru any hoops to get a LMIA ? Basically giving parents open access to the job market , more so then even someone who maybe is highly educated etc hold a masters PHD ?

I think allowing them to stay for 5 years in Canada with no opportunity to work and thus, integrate into the society isn't fair. LMIA has very limited opportunities and it's a very costly process to apply for, usually it only benefits the agency that helps with that.

I am not sure how this affects job opportunities for those with Master's or PhD degrees because 1) there are already programs for people with Master's and PhD degrees that would allow them to immigrate and work in Canada and 2) I don't think parents and grandparents who came here on Super Visa will necessarily apply for the same jobs as those you mentioned.

 

[LolaPM]

- Remove the "LMIA" from "limited to a closed LMIA work permit". A parent could qualify for an LMIA-exempt closed work permit. So I would just say "closed work permit" or "employer specific work permit".
- I think it's smart to focus this on one ask and limit it to the open work permit.
- I would remove the entire bullet regarding parents contributing to the economy by paying for their kids as international students. It's too much of a leap to say "many". Sure, some parents have done this. But many others were sponsored by people who immigrated to Canada without studying here. Or if you really want to keep this bullet, reword this and drop the "many". You don't know the stastics regarding how many parents paid for their kids education in Canada, how many of those kids are now PRs, and how many of those parents are now in Canada on super visas. So this isn't a fact-based statement. You want to stick to fact based statement.
- I'm not sure what I think about the last line regarding mental health and financial burden. One of the basic premises of the super visa is that the children sponsoring their parents for the super visa have sufficient income to support them.

FYI - there have been a number of similar petitions in the past. Try to find an opposition MP who is willing to back this. That's really the only way this has any chance of making a difference.

Thanks for all your edits, I appreciate them and will include those.

 

[canuck78]

I think allowing them to stay for 5 years in Canada with no opportunity to work and thus, integrate into the society isn't fair. LMIA has very limited opportunities and it's a very costly process to apply for, usually it only benefits the agency that helps with that.

I am not sure how this affects job opportunities for those with Master's or PhD degrees because 1) there are already programs for people with Master's and PhD degrees that would allow them to immigrate and work in Canada and 2) I don't think parents and grandparents who came here on Super Visa will necessarily apply for the same jobs as those you mentioned

Supervisa is a visitor visa and a very generous visitor visa. The amount of time that parents have been allowed to visit has increased dramatically since the Liberals have been elected. Nobody is forcing a parent to visit for a long period of time and many are mistaking the ability to visit for long periods of time as allowing parents to move permanently to Canada. What you are essentially asking for is for parents to be allowed to immigrate to Canada. Given the state of the healthcare system alone absorbing more seniors is not possible. The PGP program is essentially a humanitarian program. Parents and grandparents have not paid into the tax base and are unlikely to ever pay taxes when they immigrate and will have access to numerous benefits including OAS/GIS after 10 years. It costs the government money to allow seniors to immigrate under PGP which is why almost all countries don’t allow parents to immigrate with access to public healthcare. As already pointed out extended healthcare plans provided by employers are only accessible by spouses and dependent children under a certain age. Parents and grandparents are never considered dependents. If parents chose to visit under a supervisa there are compromises. They are essentially visiting a country like any other visitor so they won’t be included like any other person with more permanent status. If I visited another country I wouldn’t expect to fully integrate in a country or have access to all country programs and systems. If parents aren’t comfortable in Canada they always have the option to stay for a shorter period of time. Parent and grandparent immigration isn’t guaranteed. That is something most have to consider when moving to Canada. Canada will never be able to accept all the parents and grandparents who want to immigrate. The increased time able to visit was seen as a compromise. Unfortunately I think many have assumed they will be able to move to Canada permanently given the length of stay with a supervisa which will lead to problems down the road.

 

[LolaPM]

Supervisa is a visitor visa and a very generous visitor visa. The amount of time that parents have been allowed to visit has increased dramatically since the Liberals have been elected. Nobody is forcing a parent to visit for a long period of time and many are mistaking the ability to visit for long periods of time as allowing parents to move permanently to Canada. What you are essentially asking for is for parents to be allowed to immigrate to Canada. Given the state of the healthcare system alone absorbing more seniors is not possible. The PGP program is essentially a humanitarian program. Parents and grandparents have not paid into the tax base and are unlikely to ever pay taxes when they immigrate and will have access to numerous benefits including OAS/GIS after 10 years. It costs the government money to allow seniors to immigrate under PGP which is why almost all countries don’t allow parents to immigrate with access to public healthcare. As already pointed out extended healthcare plans provided by employers are only accessible by spouses and dependent children under a certain age. Parents and grandparents are never considered dependents. If parents chose to visit under a supervisa there are compromises. They are essentially visiting a country like any other visitor so they won’t be included like any other person with more permanent status. If I visited another country I wouldn’t expect to fully integrate in a country or have access to all country programs and systems. If parents aren’t comfortable in Canada they always have the option to stay for a shorter period of time. Parent and grandparent immigration isn’t guaranteed. That is something most have to consider when moving to Canada. Canada will never be able to accept all the parents and grandparents who want to immigrate. The increased time able to visit was seen as a compromise. Unfortunately I think many have assumed they will be able to move to Canada permanently given the length of stay with a supervisa which will lead to problems down the road.

Parents and grandparents are already able to stay in Canada for 5 years. If they're also able to work and pay into the tax base, as you say, they can essentially support themselves. As I mentioned before, I am focusing on the open work permit, I understood that the provincial health coverage was a large ask and dropped it. I am using this thread to gather thoughts and ideas and open to feedback.

 

[canuck78]

Parents and grandparents are already able to stay in Canada for 5 years. If they're also able to work and pay into the tax base, as you say, they can essentially support themselves. As I mentioned before, I am focusing on the open work permit, I understood that the provincial health coverage was a large ask and dropped it. I am using this thread to gather thoughts and ideas and open to feedback.

If you get an OWP and work you’ll be entitled to provincial healthcare so that isn’t going to be an option. You should really have your parent try to get a closed WP if they want to work. Adding benefits like a WP to a supervisa, which is for visitor, is very unlikely to happen. A supervisa is fundamentally a longer visiting visa and there is no moving or longterm stay in Canada that is assured with a supervisa. If a parent wants to visit family in Canada the goal is to visit family not establish themselves in Canada as someone who is moving to Canada permanently. If they aren’t feeling fulfilled visiting Canada they can stay for a few months then return home for a while and then return to Canada. Sone parents spend their summer in Canada and only remain for a few months then return home. Although you can stay up to 5 years you still have qualify for a supervisa every year. If you get sick and your treatment is costly you will have difficulty getting supervisa insurance the next year which is one of the requirements to remain in Canada so the 5 years is not guaranteed.

 

[YVR123]

I also find it frustrating that I cannot add her to my employer-provided insurance as you can with a spouse - I don't understand the difference between adding a spouse or your mother if the fees you're paying are the same.

Your parents are not your dependents. No insurance provider will allow you to add your parents to a plan.
Only spouse or children are part of the basic family unit here. (and in US as far as I know)
This is not related to immigration policy at all.