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 9^th

 

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.