CIC giveth and taketh away: Parents and Grandparents can visit but can’t stay
It was recently announced that as of November 5, 2011, no new parent/grandparent sponsorship applications will be accepted for two years. No more PR applications for these loved ones.
But no fear! Is it a bird? A plane? No, its The Super visa!
PR’s and citizens can obtain 10 year “super visas” that allow for their parents/grandparents to stay up to two years at a time.
The multiple-entry super visas will be processed quickly (ie approx. 8 weeks), would cost $150, and will be available next month.
Requirements to obtain super visa:
1. Must provide private medical insurance.
2. Must meet a minimum annual income level of around $17 000.
Super Visa not so super
So for those intending immigrants whose children and grandchildren want to bring them to Canada on a permanent basis, well put those plans on hold. But since such applicants take on average, eight years to process, isn’t it better that they can come to Canada at least on a temporary basis for up to 24 months?
Plus the new super visas allow for two year long stays at a time, and are valid for 10 years. Whereas, the current visas are often valid for only 6 months and have longer processing times.
The Parent and Grandparent Super Visa will come into effect on December 1, 2011.
CIC fixes systemic problems by cancelling or stopping whole Visa categories going against principles of family reunification and tries to make it up to Canadians by giving them half-backed solutions with fancy names. Not so super.
President & CEO
Michael Niren
Michael is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto. He is a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Canadian Bar Association’s Citizenship and Immigration Section and the Associate Member of the American Bar Association.
