Calgal

Hey fellow ex-patters. Been a while since I've frequented these boards.... so "Hi" to all those that remember me, and to all the newcomers I haven't had the pleasure of

So - in need of a little help myself now.....

Bit of a panic here - stuff happening back home with Mum and brother and may need to bring her here (or god forbid, I have to go back semi long term ).

Anyone with actual experience of this new fangled (I never knew about it 'til today) "Super Visa" and how likely it is to work?

I've been nagging her since I came here (twenty plus years) to start the sponsorship route, but no joy. I KNEW this day would come, where she would need me to step in and take care of her, but at 81 and the processing time involved in regular sponsorship, makes it pretty useless in our case. My brother is a liability and lives with her. Very long story - but in short he's been taking advantage of her and burning through her bank account and abusing her hospitality - and I'm now concerned about potential abuse in general. I'm also being kept somewhat in the dark so it's very worrying)

Main concerns are cost of medical insurance once here, and the medical exam itself

Thanks in advance....

Jerseygirl

We applied for the SV in August 2013...it came through in April 2014.

I would think for someone in their 80's insurance will be quite expensive. Even if she is in good health...there is always a chance that illness may strike and the following year's renewal refused.

Snowy560

What are you trying to do?
Bring her here as a temporary resident via a supervisa?
and/or
Sponsor her for Permanent Residence?
or both?

For the second one, there is a new application system explained in the link. You need to fill in an online form between now and Feb 2. If selected (random), then you can make an application.

Notice – Changes for 2017 Parent and Grandparent Program

If you do this, you can still apply for the supervisa:

Parent and grandparent super visa

S

PS: Elder Abuse is becoming increasingly common. I learnt a lot about here (because it affected a relative of someone I know):

http://elderabuse.org.uk/

Calgal

Wow - eight months? They're claiming 80 days turnaround on the CIC website at the mo... and yep - the insurance would be my main concern - this is if I can even get her to agree to try life out here. She's only visited twice in the 23 years I've been here and last time was 20 years ago!

Thanks Snowy...I think the regular route (parent sponsorship) is out of the question from a time perspective, by the time we even get considered she'll be mid eighties, and then maybe refused (my brother says he thinks she's losing the will to live and isn't taking very good care of herself - but I'm sure his treating her like crap and making her life hell isn't helping!)

So, I figured the super visa the best option for at least a long term visit. At least then I can be sure she's being taken care of properly. Have applied for the sponsor lottery anyway - no harm in trying!

This has all come up quite suddenly, so I'm a little overwhelmed right now and trying to find out more about what's really going on over there. I may just have to go back to see for myself.

Jerseygirl

It was 3 1/2 years ago since we applied for the SV...perhaps the timeline has changed. In the meantime she can come to Canada for 6 months as a visitor. I believe this may be extended.

Good luck.

dave_j

My wife and I arrived here on an SV in 2013.
The major costs are transport of goods and insurance and flight.
If your mother can travel light, then luggage costs shouldn't be that high. At the upper end a 20ft container cost us 5k.
Our health insurance, that you must take out with a canadian company and I considered something of a waste of money because I dared not claim on in case it was refused in the future, came in at about 1.5k each in our case and we were 66/67 in goodish health. There are companies online who will give you quotations to give you an idea.
Our timeline was long because CIC were on strike so can't really help with that and we're out of date anyway.
We bought return tickets because you don't seem to be able to buy singles any cheaper and with the pound dropping as it has, no doubt all of these costs have risen proportionately.
Not much help I'm afraid but thought I'd chip in just in case there's something I might help with in the future.
Good luck

later addition:
We did find the medical exam a bit of a formality and not too much to have been worried about. To me, it appeared that they were looking for the odd third world disease like TB and my borderline blood pressure raised no eybrows at all, but that was simply my impression.

Calgal

On the contrary - that was quite informative, thank you Dave My mum is turning 81 this year, so imagine the insurance costs might be considerably higher though...

A question if you don't mind? Have you moved lock stock and barrel, or did you keep any options open back in the UK, should you be refused renewal at some point in the future?

Jerseygirl

The person being sponsored is required to keep their home in their country of residence for the duration of their stay in Canada. We did not. We had been living in the US since 1996...we had always planned to move back to the U.K. for retirement. Our daughter lives in Toronto...so we thought we would try Toronto first...if it didn't work out we would go to the UK. We put the house up for sale and it sold immediately. When we entered Canada (by land) we had to go to the immigration office at the border. We told the officer what I have written above...it wasn't a problem.

Regarding belongings...we already owned a condo and had furnished it a few years previously. We took clothes and a few bits and pieces when we visited over the course of the previous 12 months.

One thing to note...check that the health insurance covers long term illnesses.

dave_j

We always kept our options open but we did sell and move everything with the intention of staying. Had we been asked to leave then we would have but realistically we hoped this would never happen.

As an aside, our daughter had started the process of sponsorship a year or two earlier and we were here less than two years under the SV when we were granted PR.

Jerseygirl

We started the PR process Jan 2nd 2014...became PRs last month...so almost 3 years under the SV.

Calgal

Thanks Jerseygirl! Let me get this straight - you're supposed to have a base to return to, but you didn't (either in the UK, or US?), and it wasn't an issue? If so, that's pretty cool I guess not guaranteed though and down to the demeanor of the guard on duty... (and thanks for the insurance tip - duly noted!)

Hmmm worked for you, too - interesting. Thanks for that! I have entered the sponsorship "lottery" as well - just in case...but my circumstances right now, it will definitely not fly (income etc), but hopefully if I get selected to apply, things will have changed by then. so

Excellent - congrats! Feeling just a "little" more optimistic now...

shelley748

Hi Calgary, I am in a similar situation, my Dad is 85 and a widower, I want to bring him to Canada so I can look after him. I also have applied for the 10,000 lottery thing to do a sponsorship application. It's very confusing, any advice greatly appreciated.

Calgal

Hi Shelley - have a look at this link. Could maybe work for you: Parent and grandparent super visa

Calgal

It's not that old, and was something I (and clearly Shelley, too) was following!

Novocastrian

<waves> I still love you.