Sponsoring parents and grandparents

[Peter Rabbit]

Does anyone know what is going on with the Parents Sponsorship program?
The word is that the entire process is being frozen here in Canada; thus, the processing time is now a painful 46 months
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/06/09/pol-immig-family-visa-freeze.html
Some are of opinion that CIC will put an end to the entire program. Does anyone have any insight in this matter?
Thank you kindly!

[Baloo]

There is very little factual information about this.
Note that Jason Kenney denied the rumour that targets had been reduced.
Ending the program is unlikely, but it is possible that timescales may lengthen. Let's hope that we don't end up with something like Australia.

The last time I looked, Australia was only offering 1000 parent category visa places for 2011.
The estimates are parents would have to wait about 20 years.

[PMM]

Hi

There is very little factual information about this.
Note that Jason Kenney denied the rumour that targets had been reduced.
Ending the program is unlikely, but it is possible that timescales may lengthen. Let's hope that we don't end up with something like Australia.

The last time I looked, Australia was only offering 1000 parent category visa places for 2011.
The estimates are parents would have to wait about 20 years.

Actually the quotas were reduced for parents/grandparents from the 2010 plan to 2011 plan.  From 15K-18K in 2010 to 13.5K to 17.5K in 2011.

[Baloo]

Hi

Actually the quotas were reduced for parents/grandparents from the 2010 plan to 2011 plan.  From 15K-18K in 2010 to 13.5K to 17.5K in 2011.

Good to know.

I can't see a government ending the parental stream, the backlash would be huge.
IMO over the next few years we will see reductions in parental and many other streams, at a faster rate of change than 2010 - 2011.