Freeze on some family and refugee sponsorships The Government of Canada is currently not taking: Sponsoring parents and grandparents Canada has a program that lets Canadian citizens and permanent residents, who meet certain requirements, sponsor their parents or grandparents to become permanent residents. To do this, they must be invited to apply by the government. The government usually invites a certain number of people to apply each year. They randomly invite people who sent in an interest to sponsor form. From 2021 to 2024, the government only invited people who sent in the form in 2020. In 2024, the government invited 35,700 of those people to apply. Changes in 2025In 2025, the government is not inviting anyone to apply to sponsor their parent or grandparent. Instead, they’re processing applications made in 2024. The target this year is to process 15,000 applications.
The government has not said what happens after 2025. Checking the status of an application People who applied in 2024 can check online to find out: - the status of their application, and
- how long it may take the government to process it.
The government says that it takes about 2 years to process an application and make a decision. But processing times can change and vary. Other ways to come to Canada Parents or grandparents may be able to apply for a Super Visa to come to Canada as visitors. The Super Visa lasts for 10 years and lets people come and go from Canada during that time. Parents and grandparents who enter Canada on a Super Visa on or after June 22, 2023, can stay for up to 5 years each time they visit. And while they’re in Canada, they can apply to extend their stay. Parents and grandparents who entered Canada with a Super Visa before June 22, 2023, may have been granted a shorter stay. They may also be able to apply to extend their stay. Having a Super Visa does not lead to parents or grandparents becoming permanent residents. Privately sponsored refugeesThe government has paused taking most new applications for the Private Sponsorship of Refugees program. This program lets the following groups privately sponsor refugees to settle in Canada: Changes in 2025The government stopped taking applications from groups of 5 or more people and from community groups on November 29, 2024. In 2025, the program will only process applications from these groups that were made before that date. The government’s target this year is to accept 23,000 privately sponsored refugees. People can check their application status and processing times online. The government says that they’ll start taking applications from these groups again after December 31, 2025. Refugee claimants in CanadaNone of these changes affect the process for refugee claimants who make their refugee claim within Canada or at a Canadian port of entry. A port of entry includes a border crossing, an international airport, or a marine port. How to get helpImmigration and refugee law can be complicated. There are free services and lower-cost options for people looking for help with their refugee or immigration issues. |
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