IRCC has announced that beginning May 21st, 2024, the government will, through a randomized process, select potential sponsors who submitted their interest to sponsor form in 2020 to apply for the 2024 round of applications. If you submitted an interest to sponsor form in 2020, you were assigned a confirmation number, which you can use to determine if you have been invited to apply for the 2024 intake. IRCC aims to issue 35,700 invitations over the next two weeks, with the objective of accepting up to 20,500 complete applications.
Check your invitation status
Effective May 21, 2024, IRCC will email invitations to individuals who submitted an interest to sponsor in 2020 over a two-week period. IRCC will use the email address that was submitted with the interest to sponsor. On May 31, 2024, IRCC will also launch the "check your invitation status" tool, where you can input your confirmation number to determine if you have received an invitation to apply. Applicants will then need to submit their applications within a specified timeframe.
What happens if you are not invited to apply to sponsor your parents and grandparents
If you do not receive an invitation, there may be alternative programs for bringing your parents or grandparents to Canada. One such option is the Super Visa stream. If your parents or grandparents meet the eligibility criteria for this program, they can apply for a visa that permits them to stay in Canada for up to five years at a time.
Understanding your responsibilities as a sponsor of your parents or grandparents
When you designate yourself as a sponsor, you are committing to support the individual(s) that you are sponsoring for a certain duration, even if your circumstances change. To become a sponsor, you must sign both an undertaking and a sponsorship agreement. The period of the undertaking is 20 years (or 10 years in Quebec).
Once your sponsored family member is granted permanent residency, the undertaking period cannot be canceled or reduced. Furthermore, throughout the undertaking period, you must adhere to specific responsibilities outlined in the sponsorship agreement.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
