Ottawa is set to introduce a “super visa” allowing parents and grandparents of immigrants to visit Canada in lieu of granting them permanent status as part of a plan to address a backlog in immigration sponsorships of the elderly. The parents will need mandatory medical insurance.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1081314--ottawa-to-introduce-super-visa-for-parents-grandparents-of-immigrants
CBC just announced there will be a pause in immigration starting today - more details as I find them.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/government-of-canada-to-cut-backlog-and-wait-times-for-family-reunification-phase-i-of-action-plan-for-faster-family-reunification-2011-11-04
To deal with the large backlog and lengthy wait times, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is announcing Phase I of the Action Plan for Faster Family Reunification.
First - The Government of Canada will increase by over 60 percent the number of sponsored parents and grandparents Canada will admit next year, from nearly 15,500 in 2010 to 25,000 in 2012 - the highest level in nearly two decades.
Second - The government is introducing the new "Parent and Grandparent Super Visa," which will be valid for up to 10 years. The multiple-entry visa will allow an applicant to remain in Canada for up to 24 months at a time without the need for renewal of their status. The Parent and Grandparent Super Visa will come into effect on December 1, 2011, and CIC will be able to issue the visas, on average, within eight weeks of the application. This means that instead of waiting for eight years, a parent or a grandparent can come to Canada within eight weeks. Parent and Grandparent Super Visa applicants will be required to obtain private Canadian health-care insurance for their stay in Canada.
Third - The government will consult Canadians on how to redesign the parents and grandparents program to ensure that it is sustainable in the future. The redesigned program must avoid future large backlogs and be sensitive to fiscal constraints.
Fourth - To prevent the build-up of an unmanageable number of new applications during these consultations and to further reduce the 165,000-strong backlog of parent and grandparent applicants, CIC is putting in place a temporary pause of up to 24 months on the acceptance of new sponsorship applications for parents and grandparents. The pause comes into effect on November 5, 2011.
Government media release.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/releases/2011/2011-11-04.asp
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/backgrounders/2011/2011-11-04.asp
To qualify, parents and grandparents must:
undergo the Immigration Medical Examination (unless exempted);
demonstrate that they have purchased private Canadian medical insurance; and
provide a written commitment of financial support from a child or grandchild in Canada who meets a minimum income threshold.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/faq/immigrate/sponsor/index.asp#parent
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1081314--ottawa-to-introduce-super-visa-for-parents-grandparents-of-immigrants
CBC just announced there will be a pause in immigration starting today - more details as I find them.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/government-of-canada-to-cut-backlog-and-wait-times-for-family-reunification-phase-i-of-action-plan-for-faster-family-reunification-2011-11-04
To deal with the large backlog and lengthy wait times, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is announcing Phase I of the Action Plan for Faster Family Reunification.
First - The Government of Canada will increase by over 60 percent the number of sponsored parents and grandparents Canada will admit next year, from nearly 15,500 in 2010 to 25,000 in 2012 - the highest level in nearly two decades.
Second - The government is introducing the new "Parent and Grandparent Super Visa," which will be valid for up to 10 years. The multiple-entry visa will allow an applicant to remain in Canada for up to 24 months at a time without the need for renewal of their status. The Parent and Grandparent Super Visa will come into effect on December 1, 2011, and CIC will be able to issue the visas, on average, within eight weeks of the application. This means that instead of waiting for eight years, a parent or a grandparent can come to Canada within eight weeks. Parent and Grandparent Super Visa applicants will be required to obtain private Canadian health-care insurance for their stay in Canada.
Third - The government will consult Canadians on how to redesign the parents and grandparents program to ensure that it is sustainable in the future. The redesigned program must avoid future large backlogs and be sensitive to fiscal constraints.
Fourth - To prevent the build-up of an unmanageable number of new applications during these consultations and to further reduce the 165,000-strong backlog of parent and grandparent applicants, CIC is putting in place a temporary pause of up to 24 months on the acceptance of new sponsorship applications for parents and grandparents. The pause comes into effect on November 5, 2011.
Government media release.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/releases/2011/2011-11-04.asp
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/backgrounders/2011/2011-11-04.asp
To qualify, parents and grandparents must:
undergo the Immigration Medical Examination (unless exempted);
demonstrate that they have purchased private Canadian medical insurance; and
provide a written commitment of financial support from a child or grandchild in Canada who meets a minimum income threshold.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/faq/immigrate/sponsor/index.asp#parent
