Mohanad Moetaz - 23 September, 2021
Canada's immigration department has just announced that it is beginning to issue Parents and Grandparents Program 2021 invitations.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will invite a total of 30,000 Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their parents and grandparents to come and live in Canada permanently.
Invitations will be issued over the next two weeks, until October 7. Those who receive an invitation will have 60 days to submit their applications to IRCC.
Parents and grandparents who come to Canada through this program will become permanent residents and will be able to enjoy benefits such as universal health care.
Canadian citizens and permanent residents submitted their interest to sponsor forms on the IRCC website between October and November 2020. IRCC then held a lottery in January 2021 and invited 10,000 sponsors. It is now drawing from the same pool of candidates to issue an additional 30,000 invitations.
Get a Free Legal Consultation if you Receive a PGP 2021 Invitation
The first step is to make sure that you meet the eligibility criteria for the PGP 2021.
This means that you must be at least 18 years old, and you must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or be status First Nations.
In addition, you must show IRCC that you meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI). To do this, you will have to submit your Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) notices of assessment for the 2018, 2019 and 2020 tax years.
If you meet these requirements, you will have 60 days to submit your sponsorship application. This includes paying your fees to IRCC.
If you live in Quebec, you will need to show that you meet the province's sponsorship income requirements over the past 12 months.
You will need to also sign an undertaking agreement. This is required by both IRCC and Quebec. This means that you will be legally obliged to repay any social assistance claimed by your parents or grandparents during the undertaking period. This period is 20 years for non-Quebec residents and 10 years for Quebec residents.
Get a Free Legal Consultation if you Receive a PGP 2021 Invitation
An alternative to the PGP program is applying for a Super Visa. Canadian citizens and permanent residents can apply for a Super Visa to IRCC for their parents and grandparents.
A Super Visa allows holders multiple entries into Canada and is valid for 10 years.
