If you’re invited to apply to sponsor your parents and grandparents, there are 2 applications:

1. You must apply to become a sponsor.
2. Your parents or grandparents must apply for permanent residence.

Parents and Grandparents, as well as other family-class immigration sponsors do not need to meet all the regular income requirements for the 2020 taxation year

The new temporary public policy means that Canadians who are sponsoring their foreign national family members do not have to make 30 per cent more than the minimum income requirement for their region in 2020. Sponsors will also be able to count regular Employment Insurance benefits in their income calculations for this year, as opposed to just special EI benefits.

Sponsors must still meet the minimum necessary income, and all other application requirements pertaining to other relevant taxation years. This means that in every other relevant year, they need to meet the additional 30 per cent income requirement, and they can only have special Employment Insurance benefits contribute to that total.

The new policy came into effect on October 2nd, and will end when all eligible applications are processed.

The new policy is meant to ensure that sponsors are not unfairly impacted by the effects of the pandemic in their sponsorship applications for this year, or any future year where income levels for 2020 would affect eligibility.

MNI Update

LICO table 2021

The following table shows LICO for 2021* as you see the LICO changes based on the household number.

Comparing 12-month LICO over the years

The following table reflects the 12-month LICO from 2018 to 2021. Of course, this is an effort to show you changes in LICO over the years.