2017 Parent-Grandparent Sponsorships to be by Lottery

The government has just announced changes to how it will accept parent and grandparent sponsorship applications for 2017. You can read their announcement here:

http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=1168899

 

The changes follow the framework I had recommended last February in this blog post:

http://www.ronaleecareylaw.ca/newsletter-archive/64-would-you-pay-someone-to-sleep-in-the-street

 

The new system will be as follows:

  • Sponsors (the Canadian child or grandchild) will complete an online form indicating they wish to sponsor their parent or grandparent

  • The only information requested on the form will be: first name, family name, date of birth, country of birth, main home address, postal code and email address

  • The online form will be available from January 3 to February 2, 2017

  • The government will then randomly select 10,000 sponsors from the online forms received

  • Individuals chosen to sponsor will be notified, and will then have 90 days to send in the paper application

  • The 2017 application forms (for those chosen to be sponsor) will be available on the IRCC website on January 9th

 

Courier companies in Toronto were already advertising their services to stand in line to deliver applications. It will be a loss of income for them, but this new system provides all sponsors the equal opportunity to have a chance to bring their family members to Canada.