Canada Immigration Update
Parent and Grandparent 2021 Program has started:
IRCC has started to invite sponsors to the 2021 Parent/Grandparent sponsorship lottery. Emails are going out to registered sponsors over the next 2 weeks. Enough invitations are expected to be sent to reach the goal of accepting 30,000 complete applications. Only sponsors who created an 'interest to sponsor' profile in 2020 are eligible to be invited.
If you are a lucky sponsor who receives an invitation, don't delay - 60 days to file is not a long time to prepare a complete PR application (including medicals and police clearances). Reach out to us for support - we love to help families reunite in Canada!
To read more: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/family-sponsorship/sponsor-parents-grandparents/selected.html
Re-opening of border to Non-US citizens and Permanent Residents took effect September 7, 2021
What does this mean? If you are fully vaccinated with a Health Canada approved vaccine (Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca or Janssen) and meet the requirements for travel - testing, being asymptomatic etc. - then you should be permitted to travel to Canada for 'discretionary' reasons.
What does that mean!? Until September 7 (or August 7 for US citizens) only 'non-discretionary' or essential travel was permitted. You could travel for work, for study, or if you fit an exemption to the general rule against travel to Canada.
What has changed? The requirement for the purpose of travel to be 'essential' is lifted.
What now? Travel is still limited to Canada - the unvaccinated, or those vaccinated with any of the other COVID vaccines (Sinovac, Sinopharm, Vector institute etc.) and partially vaccinated people do not benefit from this change and will continue to have travel limitations.
What to expect? Testing, reporting, delays in travel and on arrival. Probably also some confusion - after all it is the airlines who are implementing these changes.
What to bring? Proof of vaccination and an extra dose of patience!
To read more: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/news/2021/07/easing-border-measures-for-fully-vaccinated-travellers-entering-canada---permitting-discretionary-travel-for-citizens-and-permanent-residents-of-th.html
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