Click here to read our latest blog and for information on the Parent and Grandparent Program.

The post 2016 Parent and Grandparent Program first appeared on Bellissimo Law Group.

As recent years will show, the cap is expected to be reached quickly. To read more about previous changes made to the program and its popularity, please click here.

If you wish to sponsor a parent or grandparent, there are certain requirements that must be met in order to be eligible. These include being a Canadian citizen or permanent resident over 18 years of age living in Canada and having a minimum necessary income level to be able to financially support the applicants. It is still unknown whether the 2016 Parent and Grandparent program will reopen with the same requirements as 2015 or if changes will be made. Stay tuned!

For more information on the Parents and Grandparent Super Visa, click here.

The post Parent and Grandparent Program set to reopen 4 January 2016 first appeared on Bellissimo Law Group.

Mario Bellissimo was recently interviewed in an article appearing in the Toronto Law Journal entitled Compromising Change; a Canadian Immigration Retrospective.  The objective of the article was to discuss the impact of recent changes to Canadian immigration policy and to get a sense of the direction Canadian immigration is heading.

On changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), Labour Market Opinion (LMO) process, Expression of Interest (EOI), and to the Parent and Grandparent Program (PGP) Mario Bellissimo commented:

“The policy has shifted towards qualified facilitation (economic) and away from other classes and in particular the family class”.

The speed at which changes have been implemented by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and the absence of meaningful public consultation or debate are discussed. Mario Bellissimo suggests that this:

“fast and furious reform seems to be outpacing an overall cohesive vision moving forward”.

The introduction of Ministerial Instructions was agreed to be the biggest “game changer” to Canadian immigration law.  Ministerial Instructions allow the Minister to make major changes to immigration selection criteria without requiring legislative or regulatory amendments, and with no opportunity for parliamentary or judicial review.

The article also touches on the problematic nature of the government’s choice to use retroactive laws, and specifically the decision to terminate nearly 300,000 Federal Skilled Worker applications dating back to 2004. Mario Bellissimo is quoted as saying:

“Certainty of selection, if the termination stands, legally and otherwise will be relegated to the scrapheap, replaced by a reality of looming retroactivity whenever the perceived need arises. This legal foundation in my mind is not sustainable as immigration categories will become moving targets…. this is a serious blow to the integrity of our immigration system and government.”

The author echoes this position by saying the unilateral policy changes undermine the ability of Canadians to decide the best ways for new immigrants to contribute to society. The trend is moving away from attracting temporary workers and allowing them to stay as permanent residents and citizens. One of Canada’s goals is to attract immigrants who will contribute economically and socially to Canadian society, but for many highly skilled economic migrants the ability to sponsor family members to Canada is also of paramount importance. Mario Bellissimo commented:

“Our lens must change. We must first closely and carefully study social as well as economic fusion and functionality across all categories. Second, the family class need not only be thought of as a non-economic category and economic migration as a category that does not impact our nation building”

Looking forward, there is a sense that procedural fairness must be addressed for Canada to regain its competitive position internationally and its reputation as a nation built on economic, social and cultural openness.

The post Mario D. Bellissimo interviewed in the Toronto Law Journal first appeared on Bellissimo Law Group.

Since the Action Plan for Faster Family Reunification was launched in 2011, the government has reduced backlogs in half and they anticipate cutting the backlog by 75 per cent by the end of 2015.

Canada is a multicultural society that continues to reunite families with their loved ones. The PGP program will re-open to new applications in January 2015. Further details will be available closer to that date.

The post The Cap of 5,000 applications for the Parent and Grandparent program (PGP) has been reached first appeared on Bellissimo Law Group.

The sponsor of relatives hoping to immigrate to Canada must now meet the new requirements to be eligible to apply, including:

• The sponsor must sign a sponsorship agreement in which they commit to provide for the basic needs (food, clothing and shelter) of their relative for a period of 20 years.

• The sponsor must meet the minimum necessary income plus 30% (MNI + 30%). This is calculated based on the number of persons the sponsor is supporting and would be supporting.
• The sponsor and co-signer (if applicable) must demonstrate that for the three consecutive taxation years preceding the date of their application, their income is equal or greater than the annual MNI plus 30%.

• Evidence of income is limited exclusively to documents issued by Canada Revenue Agency (Notice of Assessment or Option C print out)

The main objective of the new regulations is to increase the efficiency of the Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship program and decrease the likelihood of future backlogs and lengthy wait times.

For more information Contact Us Today!

The post New Requirements for Sponsors of Parents & Grandparents first appeared on Bellissimo Law Group.

Click here to read Operational Bulletin 561

The post Operational Bulletin 561 – New Regulations for sponsors of parents and grandparents first appeared on Bellissimo Law Group.

Bellissimo Law Group would like to share this experience with a newcomer to Canada for this holiday season by treating him or her and a family member to their first Toronto Maple Leafs game!

There are 3 simple ways to enter!
Facebook: Share & Like any of the posts pertaining to this contest
Twitter: Follow us & Retweet any of the posts pertaining to this contest
Google+: Share any posts pertaining to this contest

You will be entered to win a pair of tickets to see the Toronto Maple Leafs play the Phoenix Coyotes at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto on December 19^th, 2013!

If you are interested in learning more about family reunification in Canada, we have a few helpful links with information on the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa , and Family Class Sponsorships.  Also see our post about Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s Action Plan for Faster Family Reunification and the upcoming changes to Canada’s Parent and Grandparent Program coming into effect January 2, 2014.

Please find us on Facebook,  Google+ and Twitter. Share and Re-tweet with your friends and followers for an additional entry to win!

Contest Details:

• Winner must pick up the tickets at the office 
• Winner must share an immigration story 

The post Toronto Maple Leafs Tickets Contest for Families New to Canada! first appeared on Bellissimo Law Group.

Since the launch of the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa program in December 2011, more than 20,000 visas have been issued.  With an 85% approval rate, over 1,000 Super Visas are being issued each month.  As well, candidates who meet all the requirements have almost a 99% chance of being accepted, allowing more families to reunite.

The Super Visa allows holders multiple entries into the country for up to ten years, with the option of staying in Canada for up to two years at a time.  With the Super Visa, families don’t need to reapply for a visa every time they want to visit.

Click here to learn more about the Super Visa.

The post Over 20,000 Super Visas Issued first appeared on Bellissimo Law Group.