The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) is gearing up for relaunch this month, with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) readying to dispatch invitations to potential sponsors.
According to an official announcement from the department, beginning May 21st, 2024, they will be issuing 35,700 invitations with the aim of approving 20,500 complete applications.
Who is eligible for the PGP?
IRCC has announced its plan to extend invitations to candidates from the 2020 cohort of the PGP. This implies that recipients of invitations in the forthcoming round submitted their applications in 2020. This marks the fourth consecutive year where the PGP exclusively assesses applications submitted in 2020.
In the PGP framework, applicants will be selected randomly via a lottery system. Invitations will be sent to sponsors via the email addresses provided on their interest to sponsor form. Sponsors are encouraged to monitor their emails beginning May 21st, with all invitations expected to be dispatched within approximately two weeks of this date.
What is the process to receive permanent residence through the PGP?
To obtain permanent residence (PR) through the PGP, applicants need to:
- Ensure they fulfill all relevant eligibility criteria, which include being eligible to sponsor, residing in Canada, signing an undertaking, and meeting minimum necessary income levels, among others.
- Fill out an interest to sponsor form on IRCC’s website. For eligibility in the 2024 cycle, applicants must not have received an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in 2021, 2022, or 2023.
- Check the email provided on the interest to sponsor form for an invitation within the reopening period of the PGP lottery, including the day of reopening and the subsequent two-week period after the lottery restarts.
- Upon receiving an ITA, sponsors must submit their application through the Permanent Residence Portal or the Representative Residence Portal (if using an authorized representative) by the deadline specified in the invitation email.
Once an application is submitted, IRCC aims to process it within 112 days. Between 2022 and 2023, the department processed 67% of applications to this standard.
About the Parents and Grandparents Program
The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) enables eligible Canadian citizens or permanent residents to sponsor their parents or grandparents for Canadian permanent residence (PR).
This program is a vital component of IRCC's family reunification efforts, which are central to the department's mission. Upon arrival in Canada through the program, parents and grandparents receive PR status.
As part of the sponsorship process, sponsors are required to sign an undertaking committing to supporting their parents or grandparents financially for a period of 20 years, with sponsors from Quebec undertaking this responsibility for 10 years.
What happens if you are not selected?
Similar to the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP), IRCC administers the Super Visa pathway. This pathway enables Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their parents and grandparents for an extended visitor visa to visit Canada, unlike the PR granted through the PGP.
Successful applicants under this program can stay in Canada for up to five years initially, with the option to extend their stay for an additional two years. Additionally, applicants can reapply for the super visa once their status expires.
In contrast to the PGP, IRCC operates the Super Visa program year-round, allowing sponsors to apply at any time. Super Visa applications adhere to the same service standard as the PGP, with IRCC aiming to process all complete applications within 112 days from the date of receipt.
If you have further questions, please contact our team and schedule a consultation with our specialists! e-Visa Immigration is ready to assist you at any stage of your process.
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