Canadian Immigration Questions and Answers with Attorney David Cohen

Every month, Attorney David Cohen will answer a few general Canadian immigration questions submitted by our readers. These questions cover immigration programs, eligibility, processing, language requirements, investing in Canada, landing, admissibility, studying in Canada, working in Canada, and much more. Here are this month's questions and answers.

1. How do I find out whether I need a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or an electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) in order to visit Canada by means of air transportation?

Apart from a few exceptions, foreign visitors to Canada require either a TRV or an eTA before air departure to Canada. The eTA system will be mandatory for visa-exempt visitors as of September 29, 2016. In order to find out whether you need a TRV or an eTA, use the Visiting Canada Tool.

2. When will the Parent and Grandparent Program reopen?

The Parent and Grandparent Program is scheduled to reopen on January 3, 2017, with a cap of 10,000 new and complete applications. Recent intake periods for this program have been competitive, with demand far outweighing supply. Consequently, intake caps have been reached quickly, often within a day.

Another option for Canadian citizens and permanent residents hoping to bring their parents and/or grandparents to Canada is the Super Visa. This visa is not a program for permanent residence, but allows parents and grandparents to come to Canada as long-term visitors. The Super Visa allows its bearer multiple entries to Canada for a period up to 10 years. The key difference between a Super Visa and a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) is that the Super Visa allows an individual to stay for up to two years on initial entry into Canada, while a multiple-entry TRV typically only allows its bearer to remain in Canada for up to six months per entry.

3. Does the government of Canada plan on increasing the number of new immigrants it may accept?

The current Minister of Immigration, John McCallum, has stated on numerous occasions over recent months that he wishes to increase the overall number of new immigrants to Canada over the coming years. Details of this may be published before the end of 2016, as the government plans on providing its immigration plan later this year. I would encourage interested observers and stakeholders to keep an eye out for this news as and when it occurs.

If you would like your general immigration question to be featured in our newsletter, please email your question to qna@canadavisa.com.