Indians to benefit from Canada's family reunification programme
Darpan News Desk IANS, 21 Jul, 2021 04:31 PM
A record number of 40,000 immigrant families will be allowed to sponsor their parents and grandparents to bring them to Canada in 2021.
This means 30,000 additional applications will be accepted as against the annual intake of 10,000 under the Parents and Grandparents Programme (PGP), which is aimed at family reunification.
Since Indo-Canadians are one of the fastest growing communities in Canada, they will be the major beneficiaries of the programme.
Applications can be submitted online over a two-week period, starting September 20.
Using the random selection process, those whose applications are accepted would be allowed to bring their parents and grandparents to Canada.
Since the sponsors have to show a certain minimum income requirement, the Canadian government has allowed them to include state benefits received during the Covid lockdown towards their income. This will ensure that applicants are not penalised for lost income during the pandemic.
Unveiling the programme, Canadian Immigration Minister Marco E.L. Mendicino said, "The importance of family has never been clearer than during the pandemic. That is why we are delivering on our commitment to help more families reunite in Canada.
"By strengthening the Parents and Grandparents Programme, inviting a record number of sponsors to apply, and by adjusting our requirements to adapt to the current times, we are once again proving our commitment to helping Canadian families stay together, and thrive together."
UPDATE: Today, at approximately 11:45 am, Abbotsford Police and Search and Rescue volunteers located a deceased male in an area off Straiton Road. It has now been determined that the deceased male is Brook Morrison.
The program to subsidize worker pay by up to 75 per cent was meant to help employers keep workers on even if the COVID-19 pandemic had battered their revenues.
The premier's comments come as provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry is set to release new COVID-19 modelling data today ahead of schools resuming next week.
On Wednesday, the B.C. Government Employees' Union called on the government to either immediately distribute the stipend or provide a firm date when workers would receive it.
