The Canadian Bazaar
TORONTO: Being one of the largest immigrant communities, Indo-Canadians will be the biggest beneficiaries as the government on Tuesday announced to allow a record number of 40,000 applications to bring parents and grandparents into Canada in 2021.
This is 30,000 additional applications as against the annual intake of 10,000 under the Parents and Grandparents Programme (PGP) – aimed at reuniting failies
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Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) says the interested families can send online applications over a two-week period, starting from September 20.
Using the same random selection process, those whose applications are accepted will be allowed to bring their parents and grandparents to Canada.
Since the sponsors have to meet a minimum income requirement, the Canadian government says it will allow them to include government benefits received during the COVID lockdown towards their income. This will ensure that applicants are not penalized for lost income during the pandemic.
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Unveiling the programme on Tuesday, immigration minister Marco E. L. Mendicino said, “The importance of family has never been clearer than during the pandemic. That is why we are delivering on our commitment to help more families reunite in Canada. By strengthening the Parents and Grandparents Programme, inviting a record number of sponsors to apply, and by adjusting our requirements to adapt to the current times, we are once again proving our commitment to helping Canadian families stay together, and thrive together.”
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