Key Takeaways
- Sponsors must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or registered Indians aged 18 or older.
- Sponsors need to have filled out an Interest to Sponsor form in 2020.
- Proof of sufficient income through CRA tax papers is required.
- The program will approve 20,500 applications in 2024 and invite 35,700 individuals from 2020.
- Sponsors must commit to financially supporting their parents or grandparents for 20 years.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility for the 2024 Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) hinges on stringent criteria encompassing both the sponsor and the individuals to be sponsored.
Sponsors must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or registered Indians aged 18 or older, who submitted an Interest to Sponsor form in 2020, demonstrate sufficient income, and reside in Canada.
The sponsored individuals must be parents or grandparents of the eligible sponsor, further underscoring the program’s focus on reuniting family members while adhering to precise regulatory requirements.
Who Can Sponsor?
To sponsor your parents or grandparents in 2024, you needed to fill out a form back in 2020. You must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian. You also need to be at least 18 years old and live in Canada.
You have to show you make enough money to support them. You prove this with tax papers from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
Only people who did all these steps in 2020 can apply now to bring their parents or grandparents to Canada.
Who Can Be Sponsored?
To use the Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship program, you need to know who can be sponsored. The main person, called the principal applicant, must have a sponsor. This sponsor must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian.
You can also include the principal applicant’s spouse or partner and their dependent children. This means kids who rely on the principal applicant for care. If the spouse or partner has kids from a past relationship and they have full custody, those kids must also be included in the application.
The sponsor must meet income requirements and show proof with CRA notices of assessment.
Key points to remember:
- The principal applicant needs a qualified sponsor.
- Include dependent children and spouse or partner.
- Include kids in full custody from past relationships.
Income Requirements
To meet the income requirements for sponsoring parents and grandparents, sponsors must demonstrate a minimum necessary income that varies depending on the number of family members involved. This financial threshold is corroborated through the submission of CRA Notices of Assessment for the specified tax years.
The required income levels differ for sponsors residing in Quebec, necessitating careful review of regional guidelines.
Minimum Necessary Income
To sponsor your parents or grandparents to come to Canada, you need to show you make enough money. This money amount depends on how many people you want to sponsor. The rules are different if you live in Quebec compared to other places in Canada.
You need to show your income for the last three years. You can do this with papers from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). These papers show how much money you made each year.
- You must earn a certain amount of money based on your family size.
- Quebec and other parts of Canada have different money rules.
- You need to show proof of your income with CRA papers.
Knowing these rules helps you follow them and makes your application stronger.
Financial Documentation
Sponsors must show detailed money records to prove they meet income rules. These income rules are different if sponsors live inside or outside Quebec.
Officials look at the sponsors’ gross yearly income from their CRA Notices of Assessment. Sponsors need to show they can give financial help for the whole sponsorship period. The needed income depends on how many family members they are sponsoring. If they don’t meet these income rules, their application for the Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship Program might not be accepted.
Following these money rules is very important for a successful application.
Sponsorship Application Process
To initiate the sponsorship application process, applicants must first gather all required documents as outlined in the official instruction guide.
Following this, they must accurately complete all necessary application forms and submit them online through the Permanent Residence Portal along with the requisite fees.
Ensuring the submission of a complete and accurate application is essential for timely processing and consideration.
Step 1: Gather Required Documents
Gathering all the needed papers is the first step to sponsor your parents or grandparents. Make sure everything is correct and current.
You will need:
- Proof of income: Shows you have enough money to support them.
- Translations: If any paper is not in English or French, get it translated. The translator must sign an affidavit.
- Biometrics: You might need to give fingerprints and photos.
Check the Document Checklist [IMM 5771] to be sure you have everything.
It’s also a good idea to get true copies signed by a notary public. This makes sure your papers are valid.
Step 2: Complete Application Forms
Once you have all your documents, the next step is to fill out the application forms for the sponsorship process. For Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship, make sure you fill out every form with the right information.
Use the Document Checklist [IMM 5771] to check that you have included all the forms and documents you need. Be careful not to leave any blanks or put in wrong details, as this can slow down your application.
Double-check each form to make sure everything is correct and complete before you send it in. Doing this helps the process go more smoothly and prevents problems.
Step 3: Submit the Application
Submitting your application is a big step in getting your parents or grandparents sponsored. First, check everything carefully to make sure all forms and papers are correct.
Use the Permanent Residence Portal to send your application online. Pay the required fees so there are no delays. Send everything before the deadline to have a chance.
- Make sure all forms are complete and correct.
- Use the online portal to submit.
- Pay all the fees on time.
Following these steps will help your application go smoothly.
Step 4: Application Processing
After you send in your application, immigration officers will look at it closely.
When you get the Invitation to Apply (ITA), make sure your application is complete and correct. You will need to pay fees starting at $1,205 CAD right away.
Follow the instructions carefully to avoid delays or mistakes. Include all needed forms and documents. Check everything before you send it in.
Doing this helps the officers process your application faster. This way, you can get permanent residence for your parents or grandparents sooner.
Open Work Permit for Sponsored Parents and Grandparents
When considering the open work permit for sponsored parents and grandparents, it is crucial to understand the eligibility criteria and the application process involved.
This permit allows eligible parents and grandparents to work in Canada while their permanent residence application is being processed, thereby supporting financial stability.
Detailed guidance on eligibility requirements and application steps will guarantee a smooth application experience.
Eligibility for Open Work Permit
To get an Open Work Permit, sponsored parents and grandparents must meet certain rules set by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This permit lets them work for any employer in Canada. This helps them support themselves while they stay here.
Here’s what they need to do:
- Send in the sponsorship application before or at the same time as the Open Work Permit application.
- Show that they plan to live in Canada.
- Pass health, security, and criminal checks.
These steps help ensure they can work and support themselves while waiting for their sponsorship to be approved. This way, they can be independent and join Canadian life.
Application Process for Open Work Permit
Starting the application for an Open Work Permit for parents and grandparents is easy if you follow the steps. First, you need to be sponsored by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. This permit lets your parents or grandparents work in Canada while their sponsorship application is being checked.
Make sure you fill out all the forms correctly and send in all the required papers. This will help the process go smoothly. Use the online portal to send everything. This system helps make the application faster and easier.
Remember to follow all the rules and give all the needed information. This way, there won’t be any delays.
Processing Times
Processing times for Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship applications are influenced by several critical factors, including the volume of applications received and the completeness of the documents submitted. Incomplete applications or requests for additional information can cause significant delays, extending the average processing time beyond the typical 20 to 24 months.
Understanding these factors and staying informed about processing updates is vital for managing expectations throughout the sponsorship process.
Factors Affecting Processing Time
How fast your Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship application gets processed depends on a few key things. If your application is complete, it will go faster. But if there are a lot of applications, it might take longer. Also, special details about your situation can slow things down.
- Complete application: If your application is missing information, it will slow everything down.
- Number of applications: If many people apply, it will take more time to process each one.
- Personal details: Sometimes, your own situation might need extra checking, which takes more time.
Check your application status online often to know what’s happening with your application.
Responsibilities of Sponsors
The responsibilities of sponsors include ensuring financial support for the sponsored parents or grandparents, which encompasses providing for their vital needs such as housing, food, and healthcare.
Sponsors must adhere to monitoring and reporting requirements set forth by immigration authorities to confirm compliance with sponsorship obligations.
These commitments are pivotal to the successful integration and well-being of the sponsored family members.
Financial Support
If you want to support your parents or grandparents, you need to promise to take care of them for 20 years. This means making sure they have food, shelter, and other basic needs. You must show that you earn enough money to do this.
Sometimes, you can get help from a co-signer, who will share this money promise with you. This is important because it keeps your family from needing government help.
You need to show that you earn more than a set amount each year. A co-signer can help meet the money requirements and share the responsibility. In Quebec, you only need to commit for 10 years instead of 20.
These rules show why it’s important to be financially stable and responsible when you apply for sponsorship.
Monitoring and Reporting
When you sponsor your parents or grandparents, you need to keep an eye on any big changes in their lives. If they move, get married, or change their legal status, you must tell Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) right away. This helps keep the sponsorship agreement in good standing.
You must know what you need to do and follow the rules, or there could be problems. If you don’t report changes, you might face legal trouble, and the sponsorship could end. So, always pay attention and report changes on time.