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...

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 Ms Powell, My mother is 65 years old and lives in Jamaica. I am now a Canadian citizen and would like her to come to Canada to live with me. How do I get my mother to live with me here as a citizen? - S.B. Dear S.B., If you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you can apply to Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to sponsor parents and grandparents of Canadian permanent residents to live in Canada or apply for them to get a 'super visa'. The key is to ensure that both you and your relative are able to satisfy the requirements. This means that you will need to prove that you have the income and ability to take care of your parent financially. If you are living alone, you will need to show a minimum income of approximately CDN$39,000; if you have a family of three, income of approximately CDN$48,000. These figures change on an annual basis, so you should always check the IRCC website for the latest figures. You, as the sponsor, will be ...

Dear Ms Powell, I am Jamaican born and I recently got permanent residence in Canada. My mother is now alone in Jamaica and I want her to come to live with me. I heard that I can apply for a 'super visa' for her to come and stay with me for up to five years at a time. Can she work when she comes? How do I apply for the super visa for my mom? OM Dear OM, Parents and grandparents of Canadian permanent residents or citizens can apply for a super visa to visit their children and grandchildren for a period in excess of six months at a time provided that both the applicant and the sponsor are able to satisfy the requirements of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). Under this programme, the applicant will be expected to be a visitor only and not work without a valid work permit during the time that he is visiting. If your mother would like to work, she will need to apply for a work permit and satisfy the work permit requirements. A super visa does not grant you permissi...