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Canada announces changes to the Parents’ and Grandparents’ super visa.

By: Yan Desjardins, Founder & Executive Director

IRCC has announced that new and major changes will be coming for the super visa program that will positively impact parents and grandparents who wish to travel to Canada to visit their families. 

While the changes are still not in effect, they are expected to be effective by July 4th, 2022. 

Longer stays in Canada

Currently, the parents and grandparents super visa program allows those who travel to Canada to stay up to 2 years at a time. This Canada tourist visa program was introduced to allow families to be reunited despite the long processing times for the permanent residence sponsorship for parents and grandparents. 

With the new changes coming forward, those who apply for a Canada visa, or in this case, the super visa, will now be able to stay for up to 5 years per entry when traveling to Canada.

Also, the new changes will allow the Minister of IRCC to have the authority to designate international insurance providers for applicants to purchase the required medical insurance required for the application. Currently, those who wish to apply for the super visa and travel to Canada must purchase medical insurance from a Canadian company only. 

What happens if I already have a super visa?

Each year, Canada issues more than 17,000 super visas. If you have been issued a visa that is still valid, you can still use the visa to travel to Canada. Once in Canada, you will be granted up to 5 years of stay upon your arrival. 

For those who are currently in Canada and have already been admitted for 2 years with their Canada tourist visa, IRCC will allow applicants to extend their stays for an extra 5 years, therefore, providing applicants with a possible stay in Canada of 7 years!. 

I don’t have a super visa, how can I apply for this Canada tourist visa?

Would you like to travel to Canada to visit your family? The super visa is just right for you. To be eligible to apply you must meet the following requirements:

• Your relative in Canada must be a permanent resident or Canadian citizen; 
• They must provide you with a letter of invitation;
• They must offer a promise of financial support for you;
• They must purchase medical insurance that is valid for at least 1 year and with a minimum coverage of CAD $100,000.00;
• Your relative in Canada must meet the minimum income to support your visa application;
• You will need to complete an immigration medical examination. 

Let Northern Raod accompany you on your journey to Canada. 

Phan Immigration Canada is an immigration consulting firm specializing in immigration to Canada for individuals who need reliable and personalized immigration consulting services. We aim to connect communities by creating people-to-people ties and uplift people’s lives and businesses throughout Asia to attain their ambitions and goals.

Contact us today for a free assessment. 

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Canada’s Express Entry: expected program changes.

Author: Yan Desjardins, Founder & Executive Director

Canada’s government is working on changes that would revamp and enhance the Canadian Express Entry program. These changes will bring a larger and greater ability to target the invitations sent to potential migrants wishing to immigrate to Canada under the skilled categories, not only based on their Express Entry score but by directly addressing a labour shortage in Canada. 

These changes would better support Canada’s economic growth and labour market needs. 

Why does the current Express Entry program need changes?

The current Express Entry program is in fact not deficient. It has continuously helped Canada meet its goal for both population and economic growth. However, in recent months and years, especially in a post-pandemic world, labour shortages are definitely more pressing in certain industries or markets. 

The new Express Entry program will allow the Minister of IRCC to select candidates with a qualifying Express Entry score and who have certain in-demand skills or language abilities. For example, Canada’s health workers’ labour market has been greatly affected by the pandemic years. With the new Express Entry program, IRCC would be able to select candidates with skills and experience in the field. 

The same concept would apply to all other markets with a shortage of qualified labour. The new and improved Express Entry program would allow a fast and effective response to the labour needs while supporting skilled and qualified immigration to Canada. 

Supporting francophone communities with the Express Entry program.

Canada is a bilingual country where both the English and French languages are commonly used. With the new iteration of the Express Entry program, the Minister of IRCC will have the ability to target those who wish to immigrate to Canada under the skilled categories and who have sufficient French-speaking abilities. 

Currently, candidates in the Express Entry program pool with French language abilities can only get additional Express Entry scoring points. There is currently no way for the Government of Canada to individually invite those candidates unless they have the required Express Entry score threshold determined before each draw. The proposed changes to the Express Entry program would help francophone communities, in or outside of Québec, to grow and attract a skilled francophone workforce. 

How will I know if I am eligible for the new Express Entry program draws?

While the expected changes to the Express Entry program are still going through the amendment process in the Canadian parliament, the suggested approach is that IRCC would define a specific category for a specific draw. Along with the required Express Entry score, the eligibility criteria could be based on work experience, education, or language skills.

The new unique eligibility criteria will be posted on the IRCC the same way as other previous Express Entry program draws. These new ‘unique’ draws would be in addition to the regular, more general draws.

Why have there been limited Express Entry program draws lately?

Since 2020 and due to the worldwide pandemic, Canada has discontinued draws for the Federal Skilled Workers and Skilled Trades while focussing solely on the Canadian Experience Class and the Provincial Nominee Program. 

However, some encouraging news came from IRCC. The department recently announced an additional budget and resources to support the resumption of all of the Express Entry programs draws for the above categories and to reduce the current application backlog. 

Are you looking to relocate to Canada with the Express Entry program?

Are you a skilled individual? Are you looking at starting a new life in Canada? If you want to know if you can qualify to immigrate to Canada under the skilled categories, look no further. Phan Immigration Canada’s team of experts can help you navigate the procedure to apply for a permanent residence visa in Canada. 

Contact us today for a consultation.