Daz123

Hi Expats

I'm looking into sponsoring parents to come to Canada. I have looked initially on the CIC website and it looks like you only get to send in an initial request at the start of each year (Notice – Changes for 2017 Parent and Grandparent Program).

It also states the applications are chosen at random.

Has anyone had any experience with this? Can you apply at anytime and does anyone know roughly what the waiting period is?

Thanks

Addition to the above, I have also read that this years chosen applicants only 700 actually applied. So they were considering opening up the process again in August/September of this year.

https://www.cicnews.com/2017/06/appl...ce-069237.html

Has anyone heard anything about this and have more info on wether this is actually happening?

christmasoompa

As per the link, if they do reopen the program and send out more invites, it will be for those who have already applied. There were approx 85,000 that applied before the deadline in Feb but didn't get an invite, so if there are spots available, they'll randomly select them from those 85,000 applicants.

So you can apply in 2018 (assuming you're eligible), and fingers crossed.

Best of luck.

Daz123

Thanks for this info, I suspecting this might be the case after I read some more. Nice to get clarification though.

Do you happen to know, if you get accepted on the initial application, what a rough timeline is from application submission to approval?

christmasoompa

Timescales change all the time, it used to be incredibly lengthy for parent sponsorship (about 7/8 years iirc), but it's sped up since they've introduced the new quota & system. You can keep an eye on processing times here, it's updated weekly - Check application processing times

HTH.

Jerseygirl

In the meantime your parents could temp. live in Canada using the Super Visa. We did that almost 4 years ago...while waiting for PR.

The Super Visa is to sponsor parents and grandparents. It is valid for 10 years...renewable every 2 years. They will be required to take out Canadian health insurance for the duration of their stay.

The downside is the way the current PR for parents is executed...a lottery...which means they may never be chosen for PR. Also by the time they do become eligible for PR...they may not pass the health exam.

Daz123

Thanks for this. I was looking at the super visa but was also concerned that they have to proved they are still expecting to return home. Reality is if they come over they need to sell their assets so this may also be a problem in providing proof as it looks like they intend to stay (which they do).

All interesting points and I need to keep an eye on this. I guess the best I can do at the moment is just see when the application process opens up again and take it from there.

Thanks all for the help and advise so far, much appreciated.