Ottawa has stopped accepting new sponsorships for permanent residence until 2014, hoping to cut the current backlog of 165,000 parents and grandparents by half.

Super visa only for those who can afford it
By Nicholas Keung
January 18, 2012
Felix Zhang was thrilled when Ottawa launched a “super visa” last month to allow parents and grandparents of newcomers to visit Canada and stay here for up to two years.

But the pricetag for the mandatory health insurance required under the program is a huge obstacle for the Zhangs and many other immigrant families. The private insurance typically costs $2,000 to $4,000 depending on which company is writing the policy and the age and medical history of the insured.

For Zhang, a Toronto IT manager, said those premiums are beyond the reach of even middle-class immigrants like him.

“My parents are in good health and don’t need that. I am more than willing to pay for their health insurance in Canada, but not for something unnecessary,” said Zhang, co-founder of Sponsor Our Parents, a self-advocacy group. “This is so expensive that only the rich need to apply.”

At the same time, Ottawa has stopped accepting new sponsorships for permanent residence until 2014, hoping to cut the current backlog of 165,000 parents and grandparents by half.

And the department is trying to whittle down the list in other ways. Just this month, all sponsors in the backlog were told they had only 90 days to provide personal information and documentation of the sponsored applicants – materials not usually required until later in the process.

“They have asked for a lot of information and materials such as birth certificates. Some parents were born long time ago and don’t have birth certificates. They may not be able to get it on time,” said Zhang.

(…)

Random Posts

Loading…

Article posted in Asian community, Communities, Family reunification/Sponsorship, Immigration, Reports/Statistics/Opinions, etc.
  • http://twitter.com/Hohummm Ho Hum

    Quote: “I am more than willing to pay for their health insurance in Canada, but not for something unnecessary,”

    Does this guy not know how insurance works? It is for the unforeseen events. If they can’t afford the insurance leave grandma and grandpa at home!

    • http://www.facebook.com/bluepaper.frame BluePaper Frame

      Those unforseen events are more probable to occur when it comes to senior citizens. If this guy believes that his parents do not need health insurance, he must be out of his mind.

  • http://twitter.com/Hohummm Ho Hum

    Is the $2,000- $4,000 figure per year or per month? I suspect that it is per month because in the U.S. this is what it costs to insure elderly couples. $2,000 per year would be considered a bargain to ensure elderly persons.

  • FourFooted_Messiah

    “But we used to just stomp and in bring our sick granny in for free!”

    Immigrant tears, delicious.

  • Canadian Born

    There can only be only one answer to this problem these people can come for a 1 or 2 week visit and then go home!! As we already know if a Canadian goes to the states they had better have insurance or a hospital stay can run into hundreds of thousands of dollars!! If coming for the short visit then their family can apply for CAA for the short period of time they are here. I ask you why should Canadian taxpayers be responsible for providing care for people that are not Canadian citizens? This family and other families need to realize that as Canadians we pay one of the highest tax in the world to maintain Canadian citizens and not support every person coming into this country who have not paid anything into this country!!!! Please don’t complain about the cost of the insurance!!! Maybe you would rather pay the cost of the hospital stay instead? Think about it!!!!

  • No way

    Boo friggin hoo, cry me a river. My retired parents who have worked here most of their lives have to pay for all medical and get NOTHING, so if you don’t like, go home. Also I believe this article is full of crap as I know quite a few asian elder immigrants who get $2000 a month plus free healthcare and have never worked here a day in their lives.