CANADA IMMIGRATION NEWS AND TIPS

  CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR CONSULTATION. Dear Miss Powell, My mother and my grandmother live in Jamaica, and I applied last year to sponsor them but haven’t heard anything. The problem is that I am not sure if I qualify to sponsor them as I am single and only a permanent resident. I plan to apply for citizenship soon. Is it that as a permanent resident I don’t qualify? Or did I not qualify because I got employment benefits due to COVID? I’m anxious as the pandemic has made me realise that I need my family close now more than ever. I look forward to your guidance. – A.N. Dear AN The government of Canada’s programme known as the Parent and Grandparent (PGP) Immigrant programme is available to Canadian permanent residents or citizens provided that all the parties qualify. So since you are a permanent resident, you would qualify to sponsor your parents and grandparents. You indicated that you applied last year but have not received any information about being selected. Do not despair as...

Dear Miss Powell, I have been reading your articles for a while, and you have inspired me to apply to live in Canada. Based on your articles, I think I would be able to apply as a Federal Skilled Worker, but I have not applied as I am currently taking care of my mother and my nephew, and I’m concerned about the application. I am their only family member as my sister died, and I do not know who my nephew’s father is. I can’t leave them alone, but I see this as an opportunity to do better in life. Can I include my mother and my nephew as a dependent on my application? – R.A. Dear R.A., Your mother and nephew are blessed to have you in their life. I understand your concerns, and I am pleased to let you know that the Canadian government recognises the need to keep families together. If you are able to qualify to come to Canada, there are several programmes that you can examine to determine the best route to ensure that your family is not separated for any extended period. Co...

FIND OUT MORE  c omplete our  online form   Dear Ms Powell, M y mother   lives alone in Jamaica and my husband and I keep going back and forth to help her. We think it’s time we sponsor her to live with us here in Canada. We wouldn’t have to worry so much, and she could live with us and help us with her grandchildren. I looked online and I can’t seem to find where to apply, even as everyone said I should have been able to apply in January. Have they cancelled the programme? I would love my mother to be here in the spring. How can I get her here? Can a lawyer guarantee that we will get through? Your help would be appreciated. A.K. Dear A.K., Under the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) of Canada, citizens and permanent residents have been able to apply to sponsor their parents and grandparents to live with them in Canada, provided that all the parties are able to satisfy the requirements. Under this programme, Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canad...

Dear Miss Powell, You said that the Parents and Grandparents Programme (PGP) usually opens on January 1, but I have tried to submit an application to sponsor my mother and I couldn't. Has the policy changed? Can I no longer sponsor my mother to live with me here in Canada? NN Dear NN, Recently, Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced a change in the parent and grandparent's programme (PGP.) This was the government's response to public concerns. This is also the reason for the delay in the opening of the programme, which is now scheduled for January 28, 2019. On that day, individuals who are interested in sponsoring their parents or grandparents will need to ensure that they are ready to submit their application and carefully follow the new rules.   How To Apply? Step 1 : You will first have to ensure that you are eligible to sponsor your parent or grandparent. I have written several articles about this and so I will only emphasize on key ...

Dear Ms Powell, I became a permanent resident in 2015, and I would like my mother to move to Canada and become a citizen. My mother is healthy and is a retired teacher. This would be so good so my family can be together. With work constraints and the expense of day care, my husband and I haven't been able to visit my mother in Jamaica. It would be so much better if I could get her to move here permanently. How can I sponsor my mother? What could be a reason for my application being rejected? Thanks in advance for your response. - A.G. Dear A.G., Recently, Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced a change in the Parents and Grandparents Programme (PGP), thereby abandoning the lottery system. The new system will be based on a 'first come, first served' system. They will increase the quota to 20,000 applications worldwide. The changes will take effect in 2019. This is in keeping with the Government of Canada's commitment to helping its resid...

Dear Miss Powell, My granddaughter lives in Canada. Can she file for me? My daughter died recently and I don't have any other relatives here in Jamaica. I'm retired and she is 28, married, with one child. I think I could be helpful to her, plus it would be a joy to just be close to my granddaughter and her family. SW Dear SW, If your granddaughter is a permanent resident or a citizen of Canada, she can sponsor you to become a permanent resident of Canada under the family class category of parent and grandparent sponsorship. Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has limited the number of applications that it will accept on an annual basis to 10,000. The quota is currently full; however, the programme will be reopened on January 3, 2017. Therefore, now is the time to prepare your documents so that you can submit them promptly when they begin accepting applications. Your granddaughter must prove that she is financially able to sponsor you. This means th...

Dear Ms Powell, My mom is in Jamaica and she is healthy and strong. I want her to come and spend some time with me in Canada as I'm scheduled to have a baby soon. She says she doesn't want me to file for her as she doesn't want to live here, but that she would come and spend a year with me to help my husband and I with our new baby. Is there a way to apply for her to stay longer than six months? Would I need to apply for a work permit for her? - I.B. Dear I.B., It is not uncommon for parents and grandparents to visit their family members and spend an extended period of time, especially to assist with the birth of a child, celebrate marriage, assist with a loved one who is ill or help a bereaved family member. Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is the department of government that handles these applications. As long as you are a permanent resident or citizen of Canada, you may apply for a 'supervisa' for your parents and/or grandpar...