IRCC held its 2020 Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) lottery.
This lottery was supposed to be held by the end of last year. However, it got delayed due to the recent global pandemic, among various other reasons.
Those drawn for the lottery have up to 60 days to submit their sponsorship application to IRCC. However, the department will provide extensions due to the pandemic.
As per a CBC report, IRCC will start inviting sponsors gradually. These will be the sponsors who have been drawn from the lottery during the next 10 days.
The global Covid-19 pandemic was the primary cause of the delay in the launch of the 2020 PGP. The window for the interest to sponsor was opened by IRCC from October 13 to November 3.
During this time frame, PR holders and Canadian citizens were allowed to express their desire to the IRCC to sponsor their parents and grandparents to become a PR holder.
60 Days for Submission of Application, But Extensions to Be Made Available
Sponsors drawn from the lottery have a maximum of 60 days for submission of their sponsorship application. They also need to submit all supporting documents along with the application.
IRCC states in its invitation letters to all sponsors:
If you can’t get a supporting document due to service disruptions from COVID-19, include an explanation and/or proof you can’t submit it within the 60-day deadline in your application package. If you still don’t have it after the 60 days, you’ll get a 90-day extension. You should submit these documents as soon as you are able to get them.
Here are the eligibility criteria for the PGP sponsorship:
- Should be a Canadian citizen or a PR holder
- Should be a minimum of 18 years of age
- Fulfill the Minimum Necessary Income level
- Should sign a sponsorship undertaking agreement. According to this agreement, sponsors and co-signers need to repay any social assistance that is paid to their sponsored relatives. The length of this undertaking will be 20 years for sponsors and co-signers outside Quebec. Those inside Quebec will have 10 years.
Canada to Accept 30,000 Applications under the PGP 2021
IRCC has said that it will announce the details of the PGP 2021 during the first half of this year. It will be a lottery system once again.
In other words, sponsors will be given a time frame within which they need to express their interest to the sponsor. They need to express on the IRCC website.
Once the department receives all the interests to sponsor, they will hold another lottery. The PGP 2021 will be almost three times bigger than the PGP 2020. This is because IRCC will accept 30,000 applications.
Get in touch with us on WhatsApp or Call us at 905-671-4442. You may even email us at info@immigrationterminal.ca if you have any queries about your PGP application.