On February 3, 2014, Citizenship and Immigration Canada announced that the 2014 quota of 5,000 new Parent/Grandparent Sponsorship Applications had been met. No new Applications will be accepted for processing until January 2015, at which time it is anticipated that the quota will be raised from 5,000 new Applications to 20,000 new Applications. Further details will be released by Citizenship and Immigration Canada closer to that date.
In the interim, and as an alternative to being sponsored, parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens/permanent residents still have the option of applying for a “Parent and Grandparent Super Visa,” which will be valid for up to ten (10) years. The multiple-entry visa allows an applicant to remain in Canada for up to twenty-four (24) months at a time without the need for renewal of their status. The Parent and Grandparent Super Visa came into effect on December 1, 2011, and Citizenship and Immigration Canada will be able to issue the visas, on average, within eight (8) weeks of the application.