CHANGES TO SPONSORSHIP OF PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS
Starting in January 2019 Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada is making significant changes to help achieve family reunification for sponsoring parents and grandparents to become permanent residents.
The Government of Canada will replace the old lottery system with a new first come first served system. In 2019, the IRCC will accept 20,500 completed applications to sponsor parents and grandparents. The procedure of the new system is as follows:
1. Sponsors can submit an application for an expression of interest to sponsor.
2. Sponsors will then be issued an invitation to apply (ITA) in the order it was submitted to IRCC.
3. Those sponsors that are issued an ITA will then have 90 to submit a complete application to IRCC.
Sponsorship Requirements
1. A sponsor must have three consecutive years of verifiable income greater than the low income cut-off as published by IRCC. The practical effect of this rule is that a permanent resident will need to have been landed in Canada for at least three years before applying as a sponsor.
2. The sponsor must sign an undertaking to be financially responsible for the parent or grandparent they sponsor for any social assistance that is paid to the relative for a period of 20 years from when they receive permanent residence.
Income Guidelines
The sponsor must provide the following to satisfy the income requirements:
1. Only official documents that are acceptable by the Canada Revenue Agency are to be provided
2. If a co-signer is used, a combined income score is used
3. The following amounts will be deducted from the sponsor’s source income:
(a) Social assistance received from any province;
(b) Resettlement amounts received from the Government of Canada;
(c) Any amounts received under the Employment Assistance Act, other than special benefits;
(d) Monthly guaranteed income supplements under Old Age Security; and
(e) Any Child Tax Benefit amounts received.
If you are considering sponsoring a parent or grandparent to come to Canada and you meet the eligibility criteria please call us to book a consultation today.
Adam Pawlovich