Canada grandparent programme to re-open

Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister, Chris Alexander, has announced the country’s parent and grandparent visa programme (PGP) will re-open on 2nd January 2015.

“Canada has one of the most generous family reunification programs in the world and we are taking action to reduce backlogs and improve processing times – so that families are reunited with their loved ones more quickly,” said Alexander upon announcing the re-opening of the programme, which stops running once it has reached its annual cap.

Alexander highlighted the success of the PGP, stating that Canada has welcomed more than 70,000 parents and grandparents since 2012. This number represents the highest level of parent and grandparent admissions in nearly two decades. Thanks to the government’s Action Plan for Faster Family Reunification, the backlog has already been reduced by nearly 54 per cent.

A maximum of 5,000 new, complete PGP applications will be accepted in 2015 – this obviously does not include those who are already in the queue waiting to have their application processed.

Parents and grandparents who wish to visit their family in Canada can also apply for the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa. It remains a fast, convenient option for parents and grandparents wanting to spend an extended period of time in Canada with their families. To date, approximately 45,000 Super Visas have been issued with an approval rate of over 80 per cent.

Article published 22nd December 2014