Family unity remains a cornerstone of Canada’s approach to immigration. The country is steadfast in its aim to assist Canadian citizens and permanent residents in bringing their family members to live and work in Canada. This commitment is evidenced by the record number of admissions for parents and grandparents via the Multi-Year Levels Plan, especially through the Parents and Grandparents Program.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) plans to sustain its family reunification efforts by processing up to 15,000 completed sponsorship applications within the Parents and Grandparents Program for the current year. Starting from October 10, 2023, IRCC will commence the distribution of application invitations to a pool of 24,200 potential sponsors, with the goal of obtaining 15,000 fully completed applications. These invitations will be rolled out over a two-week period.
Owing to the backlog of application forms dating back to 2020, IRCC has opted to extend invitations from this existing pool rather than open a new round of sponsorship interest forms. This approach has been consistently applied in the 2021 and 2022 application cycles. Individuals who expressed an interest in sponsoring in 2020 but did not get an invitation in either 2021 or 2022 should keep an eye on their email accounts, which they used to submit their sponsorship interest forms.
Those who are invited to apply in the 2023 cycle should continue to utilize the Permanent Residence Portal or the Representative Permanent Residence Portal for electronic submission of their applications. This is in line with Canada’s ongoing efforts to update and streamline the immigration application process.
For those who aren’t chosen for sponsorship this year but wish to live near their parents or grandparents in Canada, an alternative is the super visa. The super visa is a multi-entry visa that is valid for up to a decade. Recent improvements to the super visa now permit holders to reside in Canada for up to five years at a stretch, with an option to prolong their stay by up to two additional years without having to exit the country. This makes it increasingly convenient for Canadians and permanent residents to spend more time with their elderly family members in Canada.
For insights into past application rounds for the Parents and Grandparents Program, consult the Intake Report for the years 2014 to 2019 available on our website. A more current report, covering the application periods from 2020 to 2022, will be made public by year’s end.
Note: The above information is intended for informational purposes and should not be considered as legal advice.
