CIC NEWS
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada says it will scrap its controversial randomized selection process for its Parents and Grandparents Program in 2019 and revert to a first-come, first-served approach to inviting interested sponsors to apply.
The move was announced August 20 in a news release that also said Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC) will accept up to 20,000 new sponsorship applications next year through the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP).
IRCC’s switch in 2017 to a randomized selection process for applications to the PGP was widely denounced as unjust despite the government’s claims it would make the system more fair and transparent.
At the time, the Government of Canada said a randomized approach would level the playing field and give everyone the same opportunity to be selected to sponsor their parents and/or grandparents.
At least one petition was created to oppose the lottery, which it said left family reunification to “chance.”
IRCC said these new changes to the PGP respond to user concerns.
“As a result of listening to stakeholders and closely examining the PGP Program, the government is making further changes to the application intake process that will streamline access to the program and improve client experience,” IRCC said.
Canada’s Immigration Minister, Ahmed Hussen, said the changes are evidence of the Government of Canada’s “commitment to helping families live, work and thrive together, in Canada.”
Reduced backlog allows for increased quota
IRCC said its inventory of PGP applications stood at 26,000 in June 2018, down from a peak of 167,000 in 2011, and this reduction has allowed the government to increase its intake quota to 20,000 in 2019.
This doubles IRCC’s original applications cap for 2018, which was set at 10,000 at the start of the year and was increased to 17,000 last month. To meet this increased 2018 quota, IRCC announced a second invitation round at the end of July and says those invited will have until October 5, 2018, to submit a complete application.
IRCC said those interested in sponsoring their parents and / or grandparents in the 2019 will have to complete an Interest to Sponsor form online at the beginning of the year. In 2018, they were accepted between January 2 and February 1.
David Cohen, senior partner at the Campbell Cohen Canadian immigration law firm in Montreal, said the increased cap is good news for interested sponsors, but it’s unclear if the reversion to a first-come, first-served selection approach will help correct concerns with the lottery system.
“The government should be commended for listening and taking action on what was a deeply unpopular approach to inviting potential sponsors to apply,” he said. “Whether this actually resolves those concerns is another matter, and we’ll just have to see how it plays out.”
If you receive or have received an invitation to apply to the Parents and Grandparents Program, you may email us at pgp@canadavisa.com to learn about the next steps regarding your application.
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John says
The process is deeply flawed. On one end, you have people that meet the requirements but are not chosen and you have people that do not meet the minimum requirements but are chosen to sponsor their parents. I have applied to sponsor my mum twice since the lottery system started and I have not been chosen, even though I qualify to sponsor her. Now they want to revert back to the same stupid process that is more biased. CIC and it’s decision makers are just bunch of idiots
Mhel says
I did applied my dad twice but never pick my name. For me, in my own opinion, I’s it more better to give chance with the people came to Canada that eligible to sponsor their parent and working here longer than to the new immigrant? We’re paying tax already than the new immigrant. They just arrive and yet they already with their parents.
Hope Govt. will see that. I know they are trying to help us reunited with our love ones And I salute them by doing that .
Fan says
I totally agree with Mhel. More credits should be given to the people who has been in Canada for long time. I strongly suggest gouvernement to take this into account!
Savio says
Hi Mhel
New immigrants are not eligible to sponsor right away. They have to wait till they finish minimum 3 taxes to even qualify. So no one just comes and are united with their parents.
Kevin says
I saw the news where our immigration minister said people willing to sponsor their parents / grandparents will have to fill an online form next year & the first 20,000 or so will be selected.
Few questions & concerns:
How will this “new” system prevent people who do not qualify (“minimum income requirement”) from applying online? Will there be a check on their income before applying? This should be very easy to implement online. Simply ask every applicant for their social insurance number and verify with CRA. If the applicant qualifies then allow them to submit their form. If this check if not done then unqualified people will take up most of the 20,000 spots and will waste your staff’s precious time and qualified people will be out of luck.
I applied 2 times over the past 2 years and never received an invitation. Are you guys sure every lottery winners have satisfied their minimum requirements?
My parents are retired and have very good pension from their home country (Europe) and I meet all CIC’s requirement and still I’m unable to sponsor them. This is extremely frustrating.
Gurpreet says
IRCC better be fair, thoughtful and implement this new change wisely this time and going forward.
The lottery process for Parents & Grandparents PR put in place since 2017 by IRCC had a big flaw &
and the same will continue to be in this new process if they don’t implement this thoughtfully. For
any process they implement going forward, there needs to be a filter/screening in place so that any
fraudsters don’t misuse the system. The lottery process had a lot of noise because it was missing
this screening, and it did ended-up wasting a bunch slots from the overall lottery process since it
was implemented.
Only genuine applicants should be allowed to enter in the pool of applicants each year going forward.
One way they can ensure to do this is – before the online forms open for submissions in 2019,
interested applicants should get pre-screened. IRCC should invest to create a new online form/portal
wherein genuine applicants should scan & attach copies of their Notice of Assessments from past 3
consecutive years, within a 20 days window in October 2018. Once all genuine applicants have
submitted their docs & other personal details, IRCC can take a month or so to verify & issue a Unique
token number (20 digit) to each genuine applicant before Dec 31. Then they should make this token a
mandatory column in online interest to sponsor form in Jan 2019. This will reduce the noise and any
fraudulent activity in this process. This unique Token-Applicant combination should be valid only for
1 year and it can’t be used again in future years. Interested applicants should apply to get their
Unique token number each year as a part of the screening process. This will help IRCC to improve
fairness of this process and also ensure that IRCC’s valuable time & resources are properly utilized
overall. Otherwise, this noise is only going to increase more over the next years, and the fairness
of this process will remain highly in doubt.
joselito s. pascual says
thank you ircc and thank you lord for briging back the first come first serve basis for the PGP program,. now i have a better chance of living in canada.. thank you again so much!!
Priya Rajan says
So much confusion!
I had completed the expression of interest form to sponsor my parents in January, 2018. Even though I meet all the eligibility requirements, my parent’s names were not drawn under the infamous lottery system. When I contacted the immigration office to inquire further, I was told that there would be a second round of draw in October. It’s very clear now that the draw was actually held in July. I am unclear as to whether there would be another draw in October, 2018 or if I need to fill out another expression of interest form. Such a waste of time for families!
Mazhar says
The interest to sponsor form opens only once a year online and many people miss the narrow time slot before applying and have to wait for a whole year to apply again. This is very unjust and discriminatory as many families come up with sponsorship issues at different times of the year.
parent and granparent sponsorship should open at least twice a year to cover families with newly developed needs to sponsor.
Afzal says
Unable to ustand this lottery system changed from 1st come first initially. My son trying since last 3 years, but every year it fails. With no reasons known whatever. We are the only parents and leaving from him and grand children. But still system force us to remain apart. Only visit every year will not suffice. family unification is most required in early age. For old parents more the days gone more deteriorating they are. Still unaware when it will happen when we can be part of canadian economy, as I could work there and support Canada instead of be a liability alone to my son.
What kind of parent sponsorship is it??????
Orielle says
Inviting to sponsor parents at random is unfair and a waste of time. IRCC should be able to determine first the eligibility of the sponsoring party before an invitation to sponsor parents/grandparents is granted. For most people who would be getting the invitation via random selection, they would of course be preparing documents and IRCC staff will be spending their time looking after these documents when in fact some do not even meet the minimum income requirement. Bringing back the first-come, first served approached is a good decision.
Nadia says
Thank God that is a bit good news of sponsoring parents it has changed from lottery system . I have been trying since 2 years but no luck. It’s not fair for me because I am trying to sponsor my parents after 14 years. In this way parents are getting more older waiting.
Sihle Ncube says
Many thanks to the immigration for changing the rule of sponsoring our parents now I will have a chance too.