Did you get the Invitation To Apply to Sponsor your Parents or Grandparents under the Parents and Grandparents Program ? Here’s what you need to know:

Q. Whom can you sponsor under the Parents and Grandparents Program?

A. Under this process you can sponsor your parents and grandparents, their spouse and their dependent children (under 22 years of age) to become Permanent Residents of Canada.

In general, you are eligible to sponsor if:

• You are 18 years old or more
• you live in Canada
• you are a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act
• you have sufficient income to support the person(s) you want to sponsor and have filed taxes in Canada for last 3 years

Q. How will the 2021 Parents and Grandparents Program intake process work?

A. In general, the process is as follows:

Step 1: Fill the interest to sponsor form available on IRCC website

Step 2: IRCC will review all submissions, randomly select and send invitation to apply to potential sponsors

Step 3:  Sponsors (if invited to apply) will have 60 days to submit complete application

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will not be accepting any new interest to sponsor forms in 2021. Instead, IRCC will randomly select and invite potential sponsors remaining from the 2020 pool.

So if you were able to submit the interest to form in 2020, but were not invited to apply, you could be invited to apply in 2021.

Q. How will I know if I was invited to apply to sponsor my parents and grandparents?

If you are selected and invited to apply, IRCC will send you an email at the email address you provided during filling the interest to sponsor form. IRCC will also post the status of each confirmation number (received after submitting expression of interest) on their website when all invitations to apply are issued.

As of September 23, IRCC has started inviting potential sponsors to apply. Invitation will be sent by email over the next two weeks.

Therefore keep checking the email account you used on your 2020 interest to sponsor form. A reminder to also check your junk mail or spam folder in case the email from IRCC gets marked as spam.

Q. I do not remember what email address I used for submitting interest to sponsor form in 2020. What do I do?

A. You will be able to retrieve the email address you used or will be able to provide a new address AFTER all the invitations have been sent. You will need to contact IRCC for that.

Q. I no longer have access to the email address I used for submitting interest to sponsor form in 2020. What do I do?

A. You will be able to retrieve the email address you used or will be able to provide a new address AFTER all the invitations have been sent. You will need to contact IRCC for that.

Q. What is the criteria that IRCC uses to select sponsors?

A. For the 2021 Parents and Grandparents Program, a random selection process will be used, like a lottery system.

Q. How much income do I need to sponsor my parents/grandparents?

A. You have to provide proof that you meet the income requirements for each of the 3 tax years before the date you apply. You also need to prove that you, and your co-signer (if applicable) can support all the people you will be responsible for. To prove you meet the income requirements, you must include your Notice of Assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for the last 3 tax years before you apply. Refer the IRCC webpage for more information.

Q. How do I calculate my family size to sponsor my parents and grandparents?

A. To calculate your family size, include:

• yourself
• your spouse or common-law partner
• your or your spouse’s or partner’s dependent children (22 years or younger)
• any other person you (and your co-signer, if applicable) may have sponsored in the past, for whom you are still financially responsible
• the parents and grandparents you want to sponsor, their spouse and their dependents (22 years or younger)

Q. I do not meet the income criteria – what are my options?

A. You can ask your spouse or common law partner to be a co-signer for the application. Your co-signer must provide proof of income for the last 3 taxation years (same as you) and agree to financially take care of and provide for the basic needs of the persons you are  planning to sponsor.

Q. Can I sponsor my spouse’s parents/grandparents?

A. No. You can only sponsor your own parents/grandparents. Your spouse would need to submit the interest to sponsor form, but you can be the co-signer if needed.

Q. I want to sponsor my mother under this program. My wife’s and my income is not sufficient for 2018. But my brother, who is a Permanent Resident, is willing to co-sign. Will that work?

A. No, only your spouse or common-law partner can be your co-signer to sponsor your mother.

Q. Since coming to Canada 5 years ago, I have struggled to find a job. My spouse works full-time and we have no children yet. I want to sponsor my parents under the Parents and Grandparents Program. Since I don’t have a job yet, can I fill the interest to sponsor form in next round?

A. Yes you can, provided:

• You filled income taxes in Canada in last 3 years (even if there was no income), and
• Your spouse be a co-signer and assume financial responsibility for your parents, and
• Your spouse has enough income to support you and all the people being sponsored

Q. What do I do if I am not invited to apply under the Parent and Grandparents Program?

If you are not invited to apply in 2021, you could apply for a super visa for your parents or grandparents which could let them stay in Canada for up to 2 years at a time.

Disclaimer : Information provided in this blog / article cannot be deemed as legal advice.