OPINION: Parents and Grandparents Program

BY AHMED HUSSEN

Federal Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

 

REUNITING Canadian citizens and permanent residents with their parents and grandparents helps to strengthen Canada. That is why this country has one of the world’s most generous sponsorship programs for parents and grandparents, and why we continue to improve it.

As many families who are working to sponsor parents and grandparents probably know, on February 1, access closed to the online Interest to Sponsor form. Following on this, on March 20, 2018, we began to notify potential sponsors whose submissions were selected that their confirmation numbers have been posted on our website.

Our government realizes that helping people reunite with their parents and grandparents is an important issue for many families in this country. As a result, we’ve made the Parent and Grandparent Program more fair and transparent, and we are working with potential sponsors to ensure they are informed and aware of what they need to do in this process.

For 2018, we are using the new selection process that we introduced last year. It gives all potential sponsors equal access to the application process and it is fairer in than past years, when applicants had to submit applications by courier and mail on a first come, first served basis.

This revised program aims to better inform potential sponsors about their applications, because it ensures that only those sponsors who will be included in the annual allotment of PGP applications need to take the time to submit sponsorship applications.

I want to also stress that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is doing all it can to receive up to 10,000 complete parent and grandparent sponsorship applications this year. For example, the department has shortened the period of time for applicants to submit complete sponsorship applications from 90 days to 60 days.

These kind of actions are yielding results. Between 2011 and last year, we reduced by more than 80 % the inventory of parents and grandparents applicants.

Finally, it’s worth noting that families can also consider the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa. It allows holders to stay in Canada for up to two years on an initial visit, compared to six months for a regular visa.

The improvements we have made to programs, such as the PGP, demonstrate our commitment to keeping families together. Through them, we will continue to help newcomers to integrate, build stronger ties and to contribute to the future of Canada.

17 COMMENTS

  1. The lottery System is not fair nor transparent… a lottery should not decide the future of my family..My mom has a dependent sister and dependant can’t be included in super visa..no luck in this lottery System either… how a person should unite their family when such a system exists..

    • They need to come up with a better idea than this. They should have charged fees to fill out a form atleast that way fake entries doesn’t get entered.

      Liberals you sre losing a lot if votes beacuse of this BS system.

    • I’m in similar situation:( .

      It’s a frustrating joke that –
      Lottery is fair to participants who actually qualifies
      and
      Who don’t qualify

      I have tried for 2 years and no luck, I may not get selected even trying for 10 years and person trying 1st time after 10 years may get selected – and they call it fair. It’s pathetic policy.

      Then they smartly remind about super visa, that coverup is called over smartness. Don’t try to fool by mixing 2 things. Supervisa is there for a purpose and not a replacement for PR. Stick to discuss parents PR sponsorship policy which is getting updated after put into place. When a policy is updated (even to try to improve) so many times in span of such a short period, that prove itself that policy is failure and policy maker is just trying to catch-up as policy was not well thought before introducing.
      Shame shame shame … sic.

  2. The whole process is based on pure luck, trying from last two years now- REJECTION every single time.

    PLease change your system to make it more fair and transparent.

    Please charge and upfront fee to fill out a form.

    2017 and 2018 wasted by liberals

  3. My parents has a dependent sister at home and supervisa doesn’t include dependent. How is that a fair to people like us. Very disappointing

  4. The way the program is right now is FLaWED… Its basically playing God by using luck! If you dont have luck even though you are qualified youll still be rejected.

    This is a kind of Gambling that pays with people’s future.

  5. How this system is fair when last year many applicants did duplication of applications and this year still lot of inelligible applicants applied in lottery and Cic would not until they apply. This all process has reduced my chance of selection in the lottery. This lottery system is not fair.
    Bring back first come first serve process.

  6. This is total wastage. We lost 2 precious year for this chance. System is total failure. Immigration canada knew that last year but no change means ministry is playing with our livies. Lottery system is a worse example when you are dealing with real humans.

  7. Like me thousands were rejected for the second year while this so called “fair” process gave spots to ineligible candidates. Is that the reason 15k invitations were sent for 10k spots. Even ircc realizes there are bogus enteries but they are doing nothing to make it equal. #fairimmigrationpolicy

  8. I don’t know how long I have to wait to see my family.. this lottery system is not fair for those who are struggling to fulfill their income requirements for the year and then at the end of the year they will find like they are not selected to sponser their parents. This is funny situation. Another thing people CIC doesn’t know who qualifies to apply online lottery system till they check the real documents.

  9. This lottery system is simply UNFAIR. I can try forever and never get selected simply because i am not lucky!!!!!!! Please do something about it. The current system is a game.

  10. Its a shame how many of us Canadian put our trust and confidence on the government for our families future then only to be told that sorry you are not lucky this year try again and again! Come up with a better screening process and criteria so you can filter out who is eligible and capable of supporting their love ones. Stop wasting our time waiting year after to be selected! You guys look like smart people otherwise you wouldnt be put in your position. You have to come up with a better idea than this. Whoever came up with this lottery idea has some serious gambling problem and needs to be fired and sent to rehab!

  11. Manipulated fact or a lie?

    “These kind of actions are yielding results. Between 2011 and last year, we reduced by more than 80 % the inventory of parents and grandparents applicants.”

    Real fact:

    In 2012 policy was updated to submit 3 years NOA instead of 1 year NOA. So person who was planning to submit in 2013 could only submit in 2016 (after getting NOA for ur 2013, 2014, 2015 in year 2016). Basically that policy stopped people to apply for 3 years , as 3 years NOA was made must.

    Then lottery was introduced by insensitive people in 2017, please help us to understand how come above statement is justified or are you shameless to lie on face of people.

  12. Please change your system it cannot be pure luck ..not fair and doesnt make sense ..you are playing with people furture and emotions

  13. The system is absolutely flawed and rubbish! I have tried for 2 years and meet all the criteria and got a rejection both years. Someone who i know applied first year and got selected. How is this fair??? It’s based on pure luck – i can keep applying and never get selected for the rest of my life. Meanwhile our parents are getting older every year. If you really want to be considered as a country who is fair to immigrants then put some thought into this, read the comments above and make it a point to change the system, so people who are trying hard and qualify can be given a fair chance. Otherwise it’s pointless to pretend…

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