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IRCC Will Open PGP Applications for Immigration to Canada

The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) have brought a new program for the eligible candidates. Under this program, 10,000 candidates can sponsor their grandparents and parents for immigration to Canada. Now, what is this program called? Well, the name of the program is PGP.

The program will be open from October 13 to November 3, 2020. The eligible Canadian candidates who desire to sponsor the immigration process of their parents and grandparents can submit application forms during this period.

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What Is PGP?

The full form of PGP is Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP). Under this program, Canadian citizens can help their grandparents and parents to immigrate to Canada financially. The eligible parents and grandparents can qualify for a permanent residence and apply for Canadian citizenship later.

The IRCC will accept only 10,000 applications under the PGP program in 2020. However, in 2021, the IRCC will receive around 30,000 new applications under the same program. Hopefully, the pandemic will be over by that time.

If the IRCC invites someone after November 3, 2020, they have to fill out and submit the sponsorship application within 60 days.

Why Are People So Interested in Applying for the PGP Program?

The PGO program offers lots of benefits, and this is why people are happy with this program. Let us find out the key benefits of this program.

Key Benefits of the PGP Program

The parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens can enjoy the benefits of Canadian permanent residence. Plus, they can work in Canada professionally. They can qualify for healthcare and all the rights and privileges given by Canadian law. Now, that is something truly remarkable. The parents and grandparents will also be protected under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Later, they can apply for Canadian citizenship once they fulfill all the requirements.

How Can the Sponsor Apply for the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) in Canada?

The sponsor can submit his or her application in the following four steps.

Step No 1: The sponsor has to check the eligibility criteria given below.
Step No 2: The sponsor has to fill out and submit the interest to sponsor form anytime between October 13 and November 3, 2020.
Step No 3: The sponsor has to check if his or her application is within 10,000 numbers. He or she can check the status on the IRCC website.
Step No 4: The sponsor has to submit the sponsorship application within two months to the IRCC.

Who Can Qualify for the Parents and Grandparents Program 2020?

Not everyone can be a sponsor for their parents and grandparents under the PGP program. There are strict eligibility criteria for this. Let us check out the eligibility criteria.

The sponsors have to be Canadian citizens and registered under the Canadian Indian Act. They should also be permanent residents.
The sponsor must be 18 years old.
The sponsor must live in Canada.
The sponsor’s income should be more than the minimum income level.
The sponsor has to sign an undertaking regarding:
Helping the sponsored family financially for at least two decades.
Paying off any social assistance given to the sponsored family for two decades.
Signing another undertaking if the sponsor lives in Quebec. Usually, the undertaking period stretches to ten years.
Sponsors have to prove their income credentials. This means they have to submit a notice of assessment to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). The CRA will check the information on the evaluation and verify the income credentials.
If the sponsor lives somewhere outside Quebec, they have to show their income details of the last three financial years. However, if he or she lives in Quebec, then he or she has to offer his or her income tax returns for the last one year only.
If the sponsor is not financially stable, they can ask their spouse to be the co-signer to meet the income requirement. However, it is possible only when they meet the other criteria and abide by the twenty-year undertaking period.

What Is the Purpose of Taking the Undertaking?

The Canadian government wants to be sure that the sponsor can provide financial support to the eligible parents and grandparents. They should not suffer after they arrive in the country.

Is It Possible to Sponsor Grandparents and Parents With Severe Health Issues?

Almost all the countries around the globe have imposed various kinds of restrictions owing to the pandemic. When medical practitioners expect a second wave of Covid-19, the Canadian government is also worried about this issue.

The Canadian government has taken a middle path regarding this issue. They have taken the authority to decide the immigration status of the parents and grandparents with severe medical problems. The government will make a decision based on the following factors:

The health condition of parents and grandparents may harm public health.

The health condition of parents and grandparents may put extraordinary pressure on health or social services.

The health condition of the parents and grandparents will create a danger to public safety.

Is It Allowed to Sponsor Only One Parent or Grandparent?

It is allowed. However, the sponsor still needs to list the other living grandparent or parent on their application and submit it to the IRCC.

How Can One Calculate His or Her Family Size Based on the PGP Program?

One of the requirements to take advantage of the PGP program is that the sponsor has to be financially sound enough to take care of the family for a minimum of 20 years. That is why they have to provide their income tax returns for the last three years.

Now, the question is, how can one determine his or her family size?
Well, the sponsor can determine the family size in the following ways:

First, he or she has to count himself or herself.

Next, he or she has to count his or her spouse.

Then, the sponsor has to count the dependent children. There is a criterion for dependent children. First, they have to be below 22 years. They are not married. The sponsor has to calculate the age of children from their birth year.

The other ways to calculate the family size are given below.

The sponsor has to count the partner’s dependent children.

The sponsor has to count any individual he or his co-signer has sponsored earlier and is still financially accountable.

The sponsor has to include his or her parents and grandparents, whom they want to bring in Canada.

The sponsor has to include parents or grandparents’ ex-spouse.

The sponsor’s dependent children who won’t arrive in Canada with his or her parents or grandparents.

The spouse of the sponsor’s parents and grandparents even if they are not arriving in Canada.

How Much Income Does the Sponsor Need to Have?

If the sponsor lives outside of Quebec, he must meet the following income criteria as laid down by the IRCC.

Family Size	Income criteria
2	$32,899
3	$40,445
4	$49,106
5	$55,695
6	$62,814
7	$69, 935

If the sponsor’s family size is above seven members, he has to pay an additional $7,121.

The IRCC is expecting to receive applications under the PGP program in January and February 2021 too. They will evaluate the income of the sponsors in the last three financial years. Sponsors can submit their 2020 Canada Revenue Agency Notice of Assessment after giving the main application to the IRCC.

What If the Sponsor Wants to Apply from Quebec?

Step No 1: If the sponsor wants to apply from Quebec, they have to check if they have met the eligibility criteria.

Step No 2: The sponsor has to submit the interest to sponsor form on the IRCC’s website anytime between October 13 and November 3, 2020.

Step No 3: The sponsor has to check if the IRCC draws him or her.

Step No 4: The sponsor has to apply within two months.

Step No 5: The sponsor has to get a Quebec Certificate from the Quebec government as soon as possible and then submit it with their application.

Conclusion

Undoubtedly, the PGP program has brought a smile to the face of thousands of people in Canada. People are happy to get an opportunity to sponsor the immigration of their parents and grandparents. It is such a relief for senior citizens. They can get a chance to live with their children in Canada.

However, parents, grandparents, and sponsors need to have a little more patience. It will take time to complete the application process, and that too, when the government has to deal with the Covid-19 emergency. It may take anywhere between one year and two years to process the application. Yes. The waiting period is extended. But people have to be patient to get something right.

Amit Kumar

FreeEducator.com blog is managed by Amit Kumar. He and his team come from the Oxford, Stanford and Harvard. At FreeEducator, we strive to create the best admission platform so that international students can go to the best universities - regardless of financial circumstances. By applying with us, international students get unlimited support and unbiased advice to secure the best college offers overseas.