Canada's Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued an update on December 30 announcing the popular Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) "will be postponed until Ministerial Instructions are issued." IRCC's website affirmed it's commitment to the 2020 Parents and Grandparents Program, "Family reunification is a top immigration priority for the Government of Canada. The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) continues to be very popular, with high demand for sponsorship from Canadian citizens and permanent residents."
A new Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship Program visa lottery launched in January of 2019, with much public criticism, backlogs and frustration. When the PGP opened at noon on January 28, 2019, all 20,000 online applications were filled within 10 minutes. Over 100,000 people tried to access the online application system, and only 27,000 succeeded on a "first-in basis." In August 2018 IRCC ended the PGP lottery system to improve the application experience and streamline access to the lottery system.
According to the IRCC announcement, information on the
2020 intake process will be available in the new year. This will give all interested sponsors the same opportunity to submit an interest to sponsor form and a fair chance to be invited to apply.
CTV News reported Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino intends to "issue further instructions relating to the intake management process for the parents and grandparents program by April 1, 2020, at the latest."
The PGP program typically opens once a year for applications and is extremely popular: about 20,000 people are admitted annually under the Parent and Grandparent Program, but it currently takes about two years to process an application.
Who Is Eligible for Canada's Parent and Grandparent Program
You can sponsor your parents and grandparents to move to Canada if:
- you meet the income requirements. You will have to provide proof of income.
- you’re at least 18 years old
- you live in Canada
- you’re a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act
PGP Alternative: Super Visa
If you are unable to apply in 2020 for the PGP Program you can apply for a Super Visa, says immigration lawyer Evelyn Ackah. While they will not have access to health insurance or be eligible for employment, a Super Visa will permit them to stay in Canada for up to two years. A Super Visa is only available to someone who is either the parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada.
