Canada's Minister of Immigration Jason Kenney
The visa will be multiple-entry, meaning it allows free entry and exit from the country, with a validity of 10 years and the right to stay in Canada for up to 24 months at a time, without the need to extend the period of stay. At the same time, the government decided to temporarily stop accepting applications for the family sponsorship program for parents and grandparents as of November 5, 2011. The moratorium is introduced for up to 24 months.
So, what is behind this decision, who benefits and who loses? First, it is worth describing the situation in this area. Currently, the cases of those who go through the family sponsorship program, where the sponsors are children and grandchildren, are processed for years. According to data published by the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, about 165 thousand applications are currently awaiting processing. At the same time, in 2010, only 15,500 immigration visas were issued for this category of applicants. Given that about 38 thousand applications for sponsoring parents and grandparents are submitted annually, and this number is only increasing from year to year, it is obvious that the queue and processing times will only grow.
In this regard, in order to somehow resolve the current situation, the Canadian government decided to pursue two directions. First, to stop accepting applications in this category until 2014, while simultaneously increasing the number of immigration visas issued in 2012 to 25 thousand, that is, a 60% increase compared to 2011. Second, to introduce multiple-entry visas for parents and grandparents with a validity of 10 years and the ability to stay in Canada for up to 2 years without the need to extend the visa.
The government promises to process such visas quite quickly – within no more than 8 weeks from the date of application. However, those who receive such visas must purchase medical insurance to cover medical expenses in Canada, and they are not allowed to work in Canada.
As a result, the following situation arises. On the one hand, restrictions on the ability of Canadian residents to bring their parents and grandparents to Canada are lifted, that is, the process of family reunification is facilitated. This is a very positive step. However, in this case, it is unclear why it is allowed to stay in Canada only 2 years at a time, and not all 10 years for which the visa is issued? And if the condition of parents or grandparents is not such that they can frequently fly from one end of the world to the other, what then? After all, all the care and expenses for the stay of elderly relatives in Canada are taken on by the person who invites them, and there is no need to limit them in terms of time.
At the same time, it should not be forgotten that a person who has received a Parent and Grandparent Super Visa does not have free medical coverage in Canada, which all residents of the country with citizen or permanent resident status have. That is, parents and grandparents will need to purchase medical insurance, which for elderly people will be quite expensive. This alone can become a serious obstacle for those who would like to bring relatives to Canada who require (or may require in the near future) care.
However, although this decision seems somewhat inhumane, it has a quite rational justification and is largely fair to Canadian residents who support the free healthcare system with their taxes. It is no secret that a significant portion of healthcare spending goes primarily to treating the elderly, and it is this point that causes resistance among Canadian residents to the sponsorship of parents and grandparents by new immigrants. After all, no one wants to increase the number of those who will become an additional burden on the Canadian healthcare system.
Another controversial aspect of the new initiative is that for those parents who are still young enough and of working age, the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa does not provide the opportunity to obtain a work permit, which immediately makes them a burden on the children they came to. This is a serious factor that significantly reduces the value of the issued visa. At least, if the lack of free medical coverage for holders of the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa, given the inability to enter Canada under the family sponsorship program for children and grandchildren, has a rational explanation, then the lack of a work permit in Canada, in my opinion, seems not entirely correct.
However, all of the above, in my opinion, pales in comparison with the positive effect of the decision. I particularly want to note the following point. In order to invite their parents under family sponsorship, new immigrants need to have lived in Canada for at least 12 months and show an annual income not below a certain level (which sometimes not everyone can do). Given how long the immigration process is stretched out in light of current processing times, the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa actually makes it possible to bring parents to Canada almost immediately after entering the country, which is a major step forward and makes life easier for a huge number of immigrants.
Moreover, the very fact that the government is seeking ways out of the current crisis and offering solutions that may not be ideal but are quite real and in many respects satisfying for everyone is positive. Furthermore, the government has initiated active consultations on immigration issues in order to develop the most optimal strategy. In particular, one such proposal is to increase the number of immigrants accepted from the current 240-260 thousand per year to 330-340 thousand per year, so that the number of new immigrants averages 1% of the country's population.
In conclusion, I want to particularly emphasize that in humanitarian terms, the introduction of the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa is a big step forward. At the very least, it opens up significantly broader opportunities for Canadian residents to invite parents at any time, without the need to apply to the family sponsorship program and meet its requirements.
Elena Ryabinina.
