In an effort to reunite families in Canada, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has been working on a new plan to allow parents and grandparents to receive permanent residence in Canada. With the changes in the Parent and Grandparent (PGP) Program, the old processing time of up to 8 years will be greatly reduced and will allow acceptance of nearly 35,000 parent and grandparent applications. In response to strong complaints from Canadian residents and citizens, CIC has stepped up to fix the Parent and Grandparent Program. The very popular Parent and Grandparent Super Visa has allowed families to reunite with their loved ones for extended visits of up to two years at a time. Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney expects “to reunite up to 35,000 parents and grandparents with their families next year. This is a significant achievement and the highest number in nearly two decades.”
The plan to fix the current Parent and Grandparent Program began with some national public consultations which were started by the CIC in March of this year. A high response to an online consultation received by the CIC in May showed that many Canadians were unhappy with the current system in place for the Parent and Grandparent Program. The new 2013 Levels Plan will allow up to 25,000 parents and grandparents to enter Canada next year which is 60% more than the number of parent and grandparent acceptances in 2010.
With the introduction of the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa in December 2011, over 10,000 visas were issued to allow entrance into Canada for the parents and grandparents of Canadians. With an acceptance rate of 87 percent for the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa, it is obvious that many families are being reunited as a result of this plan. Therefore, the CIC is putting together a new, more modern Parent and Grandparent Program to allow these families to stay together in Canada by allowing parents and grandparents to apply for permanent residency. This is excellent news for Canadians with family abroad who have been waiting for years to reunite with their parents and grandparents. Minister Kenney also expects a great reduction in the backlog and wait times for parent and grandparent applications as this new plan is put into action. The new Parent and Grandparent Program is expected to launch within a year with a more modern approach to allow faster processing of parent and grandparent applications.
If you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident with family abroad, you may call our office to find out more about bringing your parent or grandparent into Canada using the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa and for more information about Canada immigration options for you and your family. Can-Am Immigration has been helping families reunite in Canada for years. Our dedicated immigration consultants can help you bring your parent or grandparent to Canada quickly and easily.
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