Major Changes in Canadian Family Class Immigration and Work Permits
January 7,2025 Amritpal Kaur
Canadian immigration has seen several significant updates in 2024, especially in the family class sponsorship and work permit programs. With new pathways for families in conflict areas, adjusted eligibility criteria, and changes in application processing, navigating Canadian immigration has become more complex. Here's a breakdown of the most important changes, their impact in 2025, and how they might affect your family sponsorship plans.
1. Lowered Family Class Sponsorship Targets for 2025
As part of a broader effort to manage immigration levels, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has reduced the number of family sponsorship landings for 2025. Landings refer to the final step in the immigration process when a person officially becomes a permanent resident.
Spouses, Partners, and Children: Reduced from 82,000 landings in 2024 to 70,000 in 2025.
Parents and Grandparents: Reduced from 32,000 landings in 2024 to 24,500 in 2025.
This reduction is likely to cause longer processing times, particularly for parents and grandparents, as the total number of applications accepted is limited. Applicants may experience delays, and many landings in 2025 could come from applications submitted in 2024 or even earlier. Acting early can be critical in securing sponsorship for your loved ones.
2. Significant Changes to Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP) Eligibility
Starting in 2024, spousal open work permits (SOWPs) will be subject to stricter eligibility criteria, particularly for spouses of international students and temporary foreign workers.
International Students: From March 19, 2024, only spouses of students enrolled in master’s or doctoral programs (or certain professional programs like medicine, law, and engineering) will qualify for an SOWP.
Temporary Foreign Workers: As of September 2024, SOWPs will be available only to spouses of workers in high-skilled professions, such as executives, scientists, engineers, and professors. IRCC expects a significant drop in the number of permits issued, potentially by as much as 150,000 over three years.
This will make it more challenging for spouses of international students or foreign workers in less-skilled roles to get work permits while waiting for permanent residency.
3. Changes to Quebec Family Sponsorship
In 2024, Quebec introduced a new family sponsorship cap, reducing the number of applications accepted for the next two years:
Total applications allowed: 13,000 applications from June 2024 until June 2026.
10,400 for spouses, common-law partners, and dependent children aged 18 and older.
2,600 for parents, grandparents, and other family members.
The new cap follows an ongoing push to manage increased wait times for family reunification. Once the cap is reached, any new applications will be returned without being processed. Quebec’s provincial government is also focusing on reducing the backlog of applications by processing those that already have a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ).
If you’re sponsoring a family member in Quebec, be sure to submit your application quickly before the cap is reached.
4. IRCC’s Use of Advanced Automation to Speed Up Processing
In a move to reduce processing times, IRCC has implemented new machine learning tools to expedite the approval process for routine spousal and partner sponsorship applications. While these tools won’t be able to approve or deny applications on their own, they will streamline the initial stages of the application process and reduce the time spent on manual reviews.
The automation is expected to help clear the backlog for simpler cases, especially for spouses and partners of Canadian residents. However, applications requiring more detailed review will still take time.
5. Re-opening of the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP)
The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) re-opened in May 2024 with 35,700 invitations issued to apply for family sponsorship. 20,500 complete applications are expected to be approved. This program exclusively considers those who expressed interest to sponsor family members in 2020.
Deadline for full applications: August 2024
If you submitted your Interest to Sponsor form in 2020, ensure you complete your application before the deadline to secure a spot.
If you missed the 2020 intake, you’ll need to wait for the next round of invitations.
6. Temporary Resident Pathway for Families of Canadians in Gaza
In response to the ongoing crisis in Gaza, the Canadian government introduced a special temporary resident pathway for the extended families of Canadian citizens and permanent residents in the region.
Eligible family members include spouses, children, parents, grandparents, siblings, and their immediate families.
Temporary resident visas issued under this program are valid for up to three years or until the individual’s passport expires.
The program is capped at 5,000 applicants and will continue until April 2025. Families benefiting from this program can also access settlement services, health coverage, and the opportunity to apply for study or work permits.
7. New Family Sponsorship Pathway for Sudanese Nationals
In addition to the Gaza pathway, Sudanese family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents now have the opportunity to apply for both temporary and permanent residency. This is in response to the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
Eligible family members include spouses, common-law partners, and dependent children.
The program allows applicants to apply for open work permits, study permits, visitor records, and temporary resident permits.
The initiative runs until October 2025.
The sponsorship process for Sudanese nationals aims to provide timely support for families affected by the crisis, while also opening the door for permanent residency opportunities.
Need Help with Your Application?
If you’re confused about how these changes could impact your family sponsorship application or if you need assistance navigating the process, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Our team is here to guide you through the complexities and ensure that your application is successful.
Call us at: 647-222-6795
Email: info@zandbimmigration.ca | amritpal@zandbimmigration.ca
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