Canada Pauses Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship Applications
Canada has announced a temporary pause on accepting new applications for the Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship Program for permanent residency. This decision, detailed in a directive published in the Canada Gazette, aims to address the backlog of applications from previous years while maintaining the country’s commitment to family reunification.
The Immigration Minister, Marc Miller, emphasized that focusing on processing the existing inventory aligns with the government’s objectives for immigration and family ties. As part of Canada’s revised immigration levels plan, the country aims to welcome over 24,000 people through the parent and grandparent sponsorship stream this year. However, the plan limits the processing of new family reunification program applications to a maximum of 15,000 for 2024.
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In 2024, 35,700 individuals were invited to submit applications, with a target of accepting 20,500 applications. Despite these efforts, the program still faced significant delays, with over 40,000 sponsorship applications pending at the end of 2023. On average, processing times for these applications reached 24 months.
This pause is part of a broader effort to streamline Canada’s immigration programs, as other sponsorship streams have also seen new applications temporarily suspended to alleviate existing backlogs. The government’s overarching immigration strategy includes a planned reduction in immigration levels over the next three years while maintaining commitments to various categories, including family reunification.
While this measure may be disappointing for families eager to reunite, it highlights the government’s focus on managing resources effectively to process outstanding applications. The pause underscores the challenges of balancing immigration goals with operational efficiency and addressing long-standing delays.
For those waiting to sponsor parents or grandparents, the temporary pause may require patience. However, it represents a step toward a more sustainable and efficient immigration system in Canada.
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