With the Parent/Grandparents Sponsorship Intake form opening for submission this October a lot of people are wondering about the program requirements. We decided to answer the most common questions we receive about this immigration program.
How to determine the family size for calculating the MNI (Minimum necessary income)?
You have to include all immediate family members, such as yourself, your spouse (if applicable) and your dependent children as well as dependent children of your spouse, no matter if they live with you or not.
If you or your co-signor already sponsored anyone to immigrate to Canada, whether the decision on their application was made or is still in processing, you should include those people in your calculation as well.
Then, you should add the parent you are sponsoring, as well as his/her spouse and their dependent children whether they are going to accompany them to Canada or not.
If your parent is separated, but the divorce is not yet finalized, you should include his or her ex-spouse in the family size.
If your family size has changed during the 3 years preceding your application, you should reflect it in your calculation. E.g. If your child was born in 2019, you don’t have to include the baby in your family size for the year 2018.
Can I sponsor another parent instead of the one I included in my expression of interest to sponsor?
No, but you can include another parent as a dependent spouse in your application, provided that your parents are not divorced. If during the process of sponsoring the main applicant passes away, it is permitted to turn the dependent applicant into principal. Family size for financial purposes will be recalculated accordingly.
Do I have to maintain my financial status during the processing of my application to sponsor my parents?
Yes, it is required to meet the income requirements for the program throughout the immigration process. If your family situation changes, e.g. you get divorced or a child is born, before the decision on your application is made, the income requirement for that year will be adjusted accordingly.
I am a Canadian Citizen, while my husband is a temporary resident. Can I sponsor his parents to become Permanent Residents?
No, you can only sponsor your parents in such a situation. Moreover, your spouse is not eligible to become a co-signer on your application. Once, they received their Permanent Residency Status, they can be both a sponsor for their own parents and a co-signor for your parents.
I have recently become a Permanent Resident of Canada. Can I sponsor my parents?
There is no requirement to be a Canadian Permanent resident during all three years, but you need to show that you had enough income for the whole period.
I am a Canadian citizen living abroad. Can I sponsor my parents to come to Canada with me?
Unfortunately, you can only sponsor your parents if you are physically residing in Canada. Unlike spousal sponsorship intention to return to Canada will not be enough.
What are my options if I don’t get selected to apply during the lottery?
If you did not get selected by the randomized system, the only option you have is to try your luck next year. If you want your parents to spend time with you, while waiting for another opportunity to sponsor them, you can apply for Super Visa. It will allow them to stay for 2 years at a time and extend their status for up to 1 year if necessary.
