Ottawa — Today, Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander announced that the parent and grandparent program (PGP) will re-open on January 2, 2015. Alexander highlighted the success of the PGP, stating that Canada has welcomed more than 70,000 parents and grandparents since 2012. This number represents the highest level of parent and grandparent admissions in nearly two decades. Thanks to the government’s Action Plan for Faster Family Reunification, the backlog has already been reduced by nearly 54 percent.
Parents and grandparents who wish to visit their family in Canada can also apply for the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa. It remains a fast, convenient option for parents and grandparents wanting to spend an extended period of time in Canada with their families. To date, approximately 45,000 Super Visas have been issued with an approval rate of over 80%.
Quick facts
The United States, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand all have more restrictive criteria for the sponsorship of parents and only allow grandparents to be sponsored under exceptional circumstances, if at all.
Any PGP applications received beforeJanuary2, 2015, will not be accepted. Detailed information on how to apply, including application forms and guidelines, is currently available on Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s (CIC) website, enabling applicants to begin filling in their forms and gathering documentation. A maximum of 5,000 new, complete applications will be accepted in 2015.
With more than 1,000 Super Visas being issued monthly, this has become one of CIC’s most popular initiatives.
Quote: “Canada has one of the most generous family reunification programs in the world and we are taking action to reduce backlogs and improve processing times—so that families are reunited with their loved ones more quickly.” – Chris Alexander, Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister.
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