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."
Canada is expected to move ahead of the United States today in at least one of the markers in the race to herd immunity against COVID-19. By the end of the day nearly 49 per cent of all Canadians should have their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, pushing slightly ahead of the U.S. at just over 48 per cent.
Premier John Horgan is joining a news conference today with Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, where they are expected to announce the details.
f the active cases, 340 individuals are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 118 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation.
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As officers were on their way to the call they learned that the Loss Prevention Officer had been stabbed by the suspect while apprehending him for theft.
EU ambassadors today agreed to a plan that would allow fully vaccinated travellers to visit the 27-nation bloc, as well as relax restrictions for all travels from some other countries that are deemed COVID-19-safe.
