IRCC extends length of stay for Super Visa holders in Canada

Surya Rathee
[Published 23 Jul, 2022 | 12:39 PM]
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The period of stay for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents is to be increased soon by Canada. According to an official news release from Canada dated June 7, 2022, the Canadian Super Visa program will shortly be improved to facilitate family reunions "more simply and for longer."

The Parents and Grandparents Super Visa is about to undergo significant changes, according to IRCC. The Super Visa for Canada shall be amended as follows as of July 4, 2022:

• Holders of Super Visas will be allowed to stay in Canada for a total of five years per admission.
• People who currently have a Super Visa can also ask to extend their stay in Canada by up to two years. As a result, those who now have Super Visas can stay in Canada for up to seven years in a row.
• Future Super Visa applicants will be covered by international medical insurance providers designated by Canada's Minister of Immigration.

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Each year, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada issue approximately 17,000 Super Visas (IRCC). Holders of Super Visas currently have a maximum stay in Canada of two years per entrance. The Super Visa is a multiple-entry visa with a maximum 10-year validity period. The medical insurance that Super Visa candidates must have is currently solely offered by Canadian insurance companies. As promised, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will provide more information at a later time. Kyle Seeback, a member of parliament for the Conservative Party of Canada, first put forth these changes in Bill C-242.

Canada issues about 17,000 Super Visas annually, according to IRCC. The Super Visa has been available as an alternative to the Parents and Grandparents Program for more than ten years (PGP). The PGP gives permanent residency, but because it is so well-liked, demand for sponsorship far outweighs the number of openings. IRCC receives interest from over 200,000 sponsors in a given year, but only allocates about 20,000 immigration places through the PGP. As a result, in recent years, the IRCC has staged lottery draws to extend invitations to apply for permanent residency under the PGP when expression of interest windows for the PGP is temporarily open. The IRCC stated in a late last week email to CIC News that it has not yet received an update on its preparations for PGP in 2022.

As a result, persons who pass a physical examination and present documentation of private health insurance from an authorized insurance provider are eligible for the Super Visa. This is done to prevent the cost of emergency medical care in Canada from being covered by Canadian taxpayers. In addition, the host grandkids or children must earn at least the minimum amount required by the IRCC.

Eligibility for Parent and Grandparents Super Visa

Both the sponsor and the individual or people being sponsored must meet specific eligibility conditions in order to be eligible. Sponsors have to:

• either possess Canadian citizenship or be a citizen of Canada
• possess the required level of income and
• Financially assist the sponsored person(s) and their dependents.

A sponsorship contract must be signed by the sponsor and the sponsored person(s) that:

• obligates the sponsor to assist the sponsored person(s) and any additional qualifying family members accompanying them for a period of three to twenty years, depending on their age and relationship to the sponsor, starting on the day they become permanent residents; and
• declares that everybody who becomes a permanent resident will try their best to support themselves.

The province of Quebec requires all residents to sign an "undertaking." The sponsoring is legally bound by this agreement. After receiving IRCC sponsorship approval, sponsors in Quebec must additionally adhere to Quebec's sponsorship standards.

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Income requirement criteria for Parent and Grandparents Super Visa

Any province or territory other than Quebec requires the applicant to achieve the minimum income standards. Before determining how many persons the applicant is financially liable for, the following individuals must be taken into account:

• the sponsor
• the sponsor’s spouse or common-law partner (they can be co-signers on your application)
• the sponsor’s dependent children
• the sponsor’s spouse’s or partner’s dependent children
• any other person the sponsor may have previously sponsored and whom they are still financially responsible for
• the parents and grandparents their dependents that they want to sponsor (spouse or partner and dependent children)
• any dependent children who will not come to Canada with their parents or grandparents
• the sponsor’s parent or grandparent’s spouse or partner, even if they will not come to Canada
• the sponsor’s parent or grandparent’s separated spouse

All sponsors must provide a signed undertaking to both the IRCC and if they are in Quebec, the provincial government. This is a formal declaration that you will be financially accountable for the members of your sponsored family and that they will not be eligible for public assistance. Any social assistance that you received throughout the undertaking period must be reimbursed.

Read More: Canada immigration for your grandparents and parents through Super Visa Program