Canadian citizens and permanent residents who were not fortunate enough to receive ITA through the PGP selection process have the option of a Super Visa to bring their parents or grandparents to Canada.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued the much-awaited Invitations to Apply (ITAs) under the Parent and Grandparents Program to 23,100 sponsors. The pool comprised 182,113 aspiring sponsors. They submitted applications of Interest to Sponsor in 2020.
Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor parents and grandparents through the Super Visa. It is a Temporary Resident Visa allowing parents and grandparents to come and stay in Canada or visit Canada often for extended periods.
Unique attributes of Super Visa
A total of 159,013 permanent residents and citizens could not bring their parents and grandparents through PGP this year, as they were not among the 23,100 lucky sponsors to receive the coveted ITA.
These sponsors can use the Super Visa program to bring their parents and grandparents for an extended period. Parents and grandparents can stay in Canada for up to five years without renewing their visas.
The program allows them to extend visas for up to seven years to remain in Canada as visitors. Parents and grandparents can visit Canada multiple times for up to 10 years through visa extension.
Being eligible for the Super Visa
Main eligibility criteria for sponsors
- Being a Canadian citizen or permanent resident above 18 years of age
- Having a sound financial situation
- Living in Canada when applying for and receiving parents and grandparents
Main eligibility criteria for the sponsored
- Being a grandparent or parent of the sponsor
- Proof of relationship with the sponsor
- Submit a Super Visa application from outside Canada
- Being admissible to Canada
- Invitation letter from the sponsor
