October 11. 2020 — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has released the most awaited guidelines for the Parent/Grandparent (PGP) sponsorship with a major consideration for the income losses of PGP sponsors in 2020.
IRCC has reduced the 2020 income requirement for PGP sponsors by removing the additional 30% to the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) that’s required under Section 133.1.i.B of the Regulations.
The temporary public policy issued by IRCC Minister Marco Mendicino on Oct. 2, 2020 recognizes that Canadian and PR sponsors would have difficulties meeting the 2020 income requirement because of the business closures which increased unemployment rates.
PGP sponsors assessment
IRCC is assessing PGP sponsors for the 2020 intake on their income for 2018, 2019 and 2020 since they are expecting to receive applications in 2021. Immigration Canada will randomly select sponsors who will receive Invitations to Apply (ITA) near the end of the year.
Further consideration in the public policy allows PGP sponsors to include Employment Insurance benefits in their income calculations.
The public policy, invoked by Mendicino under Section 25.2 of the Act is part of the government’s efforts “to prioritize the approval of 49,000 family sponsorship applications by Dec. 31, 2020 … and to reunite more families and approve compassionate cases.”
PGP sponsors are still required to meet the MNI plus 30% for taxation years 2018 and 2019.
Sponsors outside Quebec applying in 2021 may use the table below as a guideline for meeting the income requirements. On the other hand, PGP sponsors in Quebec have different guidelines which will be assessed by the province’s ministry.
PGP sponsors will have a 3-week window to submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) online starting at 12 PM EDT October 13 up to 12 PM EDT Nov. 3, 2020. IRCC also has in place alternative formats of EOI submission to accommodate persons with disabilities. IRCC will accept a total of 10,000 applications for the 2020 PGP intake and will open a new intake for 30,000 applications for 2021.
Who can sponsor
PGP sponsors must either be a Canadian citizen or PR, must live in Canada, and are at least 18 years old when they submit their applications. They must be related by blood or adoption to the parent or grandparent being sponsored. They cannot sponsor parents-in-law or grandparents-in-law but can act as co-signer of their spouse’s PGP sponsorship. Additionally, sponsors must commit to be financially responsible for their parents or grandparents for 20 years. Sponsors must meet all requirements stated under Sec. 133 of the Regulations.
FIND OUT if you’re eligible to sponsor your parents or grandparents. We can help assess if you meet all the requirements. E-mail us at mch.immigration@gmail.com for inquiries.
Who can be sponsored
Meanwhile, parents and grandparents will be assessed on their medical, criminal and security admissibility ro Canada. *
If sponsors don’t meet the income requirements they can still invite their parents to come to Canada through regular visa or better yet, through Super Visa which allows up to 2 years of stay in Canada and may be valid for 10 years.*
