This program reached a maximum allocation for 2019 and is no longer available at this moment.
January 28, 2019 – Controversy dominated the opening of Canada’s Parents and Grandparents Program on Monday as the Interest to Sponsor portal closed just moments after it was opened.
Many who wanted to complete the process said they never had access to the link via the website of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
Others reported opening the form, filling it in, then getting a message saying the form was already closed before they were able to submit.
The process was due to open at noon EST on Monday, January 28, and had been widely advertised by IRCC in the preceding weeks.
By 12.11pm EST, IRCC had already tweeted that the process was closed.
However, IRCC compounded the confusion with a tweet at 12.06pm EST saying “The interest to sponsor form for the Parents and Grandparents Program will be available momentarily.”
This tweet was subsequently deleted, replaced with one saying: “The interest to sponsor form for the 2019 Parent and Grandparent Program is now closed. If you successfully submitted the form, you should receive an email within 24 hours confirming we received it.”
Users flooded Twitter to complain about the process, demanding an explanation from IRCC.
IRCC planned to accept 27,000 interest to sponsor forms in the window, saying there could be a need to open the process again later in the year as it works towards a 2019 target of 20,000 application.
The interest to sponsor process was changed for 2019 to a ‘first-in, first-served’ system, with invitations to apply issued in the order interest to sponsor forms are received.
New Parents and Grandparents Program Process
Step 1: Potential sponsors indicate their interest
Eligible potential sponsors complete an ‘Interest to Sponsor’ form to let IRCC know they wish to sponsor their parents and grandparents. The form requires potential sponsors to upload a copy of a status in Canada document.
The form will remain available until a set number has been received.
Step 2: Invitations to sponsor are sent
Once the interest to sponsor period ends, IRCC will review the submissions and remove duplicates.
IRCC officials will then invite interested potential sponsors to submit a complete application to sponsor their parents and grandparents, in the order interest to sponsor forms were received. This process will continue until the cap of 20,000 completed applications is reached.
Step 3: Applications are submitted
Those who are invited to apply have 60 calendar days for IRCC to receive their complete application. Those who submit an interest to sponsor form and receive a confirmation number, but do not receive an invitation to apply in 2019, will have their form retained by IRCC for consideration in 2020.
Read More
How to Prepare for Opening of Canada’s Parents and Grandparents Program
Canada’s New Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship Program To Open January 28
Canada To Accept 20,000 Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship Applications in 2019 Under First Apply Immigration System
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