December 29, 2018 – Important developments under Family Class immigration in 2018 focus on the Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship Program.

Later in the year, the federal government announced it was scrapping a lottery-style system launched in 2017 in favour of an online first-come, first-served system for the program.

Specific details are yet to be released, but the interest to sponsor window will open in January 2019, with invitations to submit a full application issued in the order submissions are received.

IRCC will issue a total of 20,000 invitations.

The change follows another year when the well-intentioned lottery system created more controversy than success.

Two rounds of selections were again made in 2018. Candidates continued to complain they had no way of knowing if they would be selected, possible facing years of submitting interest to sponsor forms.

Elsewhere, the federal government says it continues to achieve a target of processing 80 per cent of Family Class applications inside 12 months.

The immigration levels plan allows for small increases in the Family Class between now and 2021, as the federal government looks to make good on an election commitment to family reunification.

Family Class Immigration Levels Plan

	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
Spouses, Partners, Children	60,000	64,000	66,000	68,000	70,000	70,000
Parents and Grandparents	20,000	20,000	20,000	20,500	21,000	21,000

Family Class: Key Articles and Pages

Family Class Sponsorship Immigration
Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship Program
Parent and Grandparent Super-Visa
Details of New Parents and Grandparents Program Coming Soon
Canada To Accept 20,000 Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship Applications in 2019 Under First Apply Immigration System
Canada Announces Second Lottery Draw For Parents and Grandparents Program
Stinging Criticism of Canada’s Parent and Grandparent Program
Canada Family Class Immigration Shows Significant Growth
Examining the Merits of Points-Based Versus Family Reunification Immigration Programs
Spouses Facing Problems With Canada’s Family Sponsorship Immigration

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