Bringing Your Parents and Grandparents to Canada

Miss your mom and dad? Do you have grandparents who would love to live here? There is a program for Canadians who are permanent residents. They can sponsor their family of parents and grandparents, giving them the opportunity to make their home here. As Canada Immigration Consultants, we want to help you learn more.

In 2021, a new interest in sponsorship will open up again. If you want to sponsor your family, this would be the time to submit an interest online through an available form. In fact, 2021 sponsorship will increase, with 30,000 new applications being accepted.

The Minister of Immigration, Marco Mendicino, has stated the following:

“Our government strongly believes in the importance of keeping families together—particularly during difficult times. The Parents and Grandparents Program is a dedicated pathway to reuniting more families in Canada. Our government has strengthened the program by increasing the number of people who can apply, making the intake process more fair, and steadily increasing the number of families who will be able to reunite. Now, more than ever, family reunification is an important component of Canada’s immigration system. It plays a key role in attracting, retaining and integrating the best and the brightest from around the world.”

Here are the steps in the application process:

• Step 1: Sponsors indicate interest in sponsoring family members
• Step 2: Invitations are extended to apply to these potential sponsors
• Step 3: Applications are submitted

As you parents or grandparents get to Canada, they are not supposed to receive any social assistance, of the financial, kind for 20 years. You will need to pay back the government, in the event that they do.

There are free and low-fee programs that have been organized by local community centres. Charity organizations have also organized classes for seniors as well as classes in English and more. Once they are here, there will be social help to adjust to their new home country.

They may not have health coverage the first few months, so they should have interim health care. For example, in Ontario, there is a three-month waiting period. Find out more information at health.gov.on.ca. With a OHIP card, services such as Meals on Wheels and visiting homemakers may be available.

If they are staying in your home, either permanently or while they find the right home, you will need to find a balance between their independence and time spent with family. They can find friends at the cultural centres; if they are living separately you might suggest finding housing close to a centre, where they can drop in when familiar food, recreation or celebrating national holidays is needed. They may want to listen to music that is familiar to remind them of home. Church groups can also provide activities and comfort during the adjustment period.

If you would like more information on the Family Sponsorship Program, we can help. Contact us to learn more.