Parents Sponsorship Canada

Current Status of the Parents and Grandparents Program

The PGP is currently paused.

On July 15, 2026, IRCC announced that it is pausing the intake of new applications under the Parents and Grandparents Program. IRCC will not accept new Interest to Sponsor forms or issue new invitations to apply until further notice.

IRCC will continue processing existing applications and plans to approve up to 15,000 people for permanent residence through the program in 2026. The pause is intended to reduce processing times and manage the large backlog of applications already in the system.

The most recent intake ran from July 28 to October 9, 2025. That intake is now closed. If you were not selected during that round or a previous intake, there is no active application pathway for the PGP at this time.

No timeline has been announced for when the program will reopen. Families who want to bring parents or grandparents to Canada now may consider the Super Visa as an alternative temporary option.

Who Can Sponsor Their Parents or Grandparents

When the PGP is open, you can sponsor your biological or adopted parents and grandparents for permanent residence if you meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Age and residence: You must be at least 18 years old and your primary residential address must be in Canada when you submit your application.
• Status in Canada: You must be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or a person registered as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act.
• Invitation to apply: You must have received a valid invitation to apply from IRCC. Applications without an invitation will be returned.
• Income: You must meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) for each of the three consecutive tax years immediately before you apply.
• Undertaking: You must sign an undertaking committing to financially support the people you are sponsoring.

Who Is Not Eligible to Sponsor

You may not be eligible to sponsor parents or grandparents if you:

• are in jail, prison, or a federal penitentiary;
• have not repaid an immigration loan, a performance bond, or court-ordered support payments such as alimony or child support;
• did not meet your obligations under a previous sponsorship undertaking;
• have declared bankruptcy and have not been discharged;
• receive social assistance for reasons other than a disability;
• have been convicted of a violent criminal offence, a sexual offence, or an offence against a relative; or
• are subject to a removal order and cannot legally remain in Canada.

Some of these restrictions apply differently in Quebec. If any of these situations applies to you, consult a regulated immigration consultant or lawyer before concluding that you are ineligible.

Income Requirements for Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship

To sponsor parents or grandparents, you must meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) for your family size for each of the three consecutive tax years immediately before you submit your application.

The MNI is set at the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO) plus 30 percent. This is a stricter standard than what applies to most other family sponsorship categories.

When calculating your family size, include yourself, your spouse or common-law partner (if applicable), your dependent children, anyone you are already supporting under a previous undertaking, and the parents or grandparents you plan to sponsor.

The only accepted proof of income is the Notice of Assessment (NOA) issued by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Employment letters, bank statements, and T4 slips are not accepted on their own.

If your income alone does not meet the MNI, your spouse or common-law partner may co-sign the sponsorship application. Their income can be combined with yours, but they must also meet all other eligibility conditions.

The MNI thresholds are updated annually. Always confirm the current figures on the IRCC website before applying.

What the Sponsorship Undertaking Means

When you sponsor parents or grandparents, you must sign a legally binding undertaking committing to support them financially. The undertaking covers basic needs including food, clothing, and shelter for the entire period.

Outside Quebec, the undertaking period is 20 years from the date your parents or grandparents become permanent residents. In Quebec, the period is 10 years.

If the people you sponsor receive social assistance during the undertaking period, you may be required to repay those amounts. The undertaking remains in effect regardless of changes in your personal financial situation or your relationship with the sponsored person.

Quebec residents: If IRCC approves your federal sponsorship application, you will need to submit a separate undertaking application to Quebec's Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI). Do not submit this application until IRCC instructs you to. MIFI has separate eligibility requirements that sponsors must meet in addition to the federal conditions.

How the Parents and Grandparents Program Application Works

When an intake is open, the process follows these steps:

1. Interest to Sponsor form: IRCC opens a window for potential sponsors to submit an Interest to Sponsor form. When the intake pool is established, IRCC draws from it over subsequent intake rounds. No supporting documents are required at this stage.
2. Random selection and invitation: IRCC randomly selects potential sponsors from the pool and sends Invitations to Apply (ITAs). Selection is random — all eligible people in the pool have an equal chance regardless of when they submitted. For the 2025 intake, IRCC sent 17,860 invitations with a goal of receiving 10,000 complete applications.
3. Document collection: Once invited, gather all required documents. This includes proof of income (CRA Notices of Assessment for three years), identity documents, and the invitation letter. Starting early matters — some documents, like police certificates, can take weeks to obtain.
4. Online application submission: The sponsored parent or grandparent (the principal applicant) submits both the sponsorship application and the permanent residence application together through the IRCC Permanent Residence Portal. The sponsor fills out the sponsorship forms and financial evaluation; the principal applicant completes the permanent residence forms.
5. Pay the fees: Pay all required fees online when submitting the application. Paying the Right of Permanent Residence Fee at the time of submission reduces the risk of delays later in the process.
6. Submit by the deadline: Applications must be received by IRCC by the deadline in the invitation letter. Late or incomplete submissions will be returned without processing.

Common Reasons PGP Applications Are Returned

IRCC reviews applications for completeness before processing begins. Applications that do not meet basic completeness requirements are returned without a refund of fees. Common issues include:

• missing forms or documents from the required checklist;
• income documentation that does not cover the full three required years;
• Notice of Assessment not included (other income documents are not accepted);
• biometrics fee not paid at the time of submission;
• forms that are not signed as required;
• invitation to apply letter not uploaded;
• translated documents missing a translator's affidavit; and
• application submitted after the deadline in the invitation letter.

There are no extensions to PGP application deadlines.

Requirements for Sponsored Parents and Grandparents

Parents and grandparents being sponsored must satisfy several standard requirements for permanent residence:

• Medical examination: A medical exam by an IRCC-approved panel physician is required. Do not book this exam before submitting the application — IRCC will send instructions about when to complete it after receiving a complete permanent residence application. Medical exam results are valid for approximately 12 months; updated exams may be needed if processing takes longer.
• Police certificates: Sponsored persons must provide police certificates from every country where they have lived for six months or more since age 18. Police certificates are valid for one year from the date of issue. Because processing times can exceed 24 months, updated certificates may be requested during processing. Do not obtain these too early — wait until after the application is submitted.
• Background and security check: Sponsored persons must pass background checks confirming no criminal record and no security concerns related to Canada.
• Documents: Required documents include valid passports, birth certificates, marriage certificates (if applicable), evidence of the family relationship to the sponsor, and certified translations of any documents not in English or French. Each translated document must include an affidavit from the translator.
• Biometrics: Sponsored persons aged 14 to 79 must provide biometrics (fingerprints and a photo) after paying the biometrics fee. IRCC will send a letter with instructions and a collection site. Biometrics must be provided within 30 days of the date on the letter.

What Happens After Your Parents Become Permanent Residents

Once approved, sponsored parents and grandparents receive permanent resident status. As permanent residents, they can:

• live anywhere in Canada;
• work for any employer without a work permit;
• study at Canadian institutions;
• access provincial and territorial health care after any applicable waiting period; and
• eventually apply for Canadian citizenship if they meet the residency and other requirements.

Permanent residents must also meet the residency obligation: at least 730 days of physical presence in Canada within every five-year period. Extended absences may affect their permanent resident status. They cannot vote in Canadian elections and are not eligible for a Canadian passport.

Government Fees for Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship

The fees below are based on the IRCC fee schedule current as of July 2026. Government fees are subject to change. Confirm current fees on the IRCC website before submitting payment. All fees must be paid online IRCC does not accept payment by cheque or in person.

The Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF) may be paid at the time of application or later, before the application is approved. Paying it upfront reduces the risk of delays. The RPRF is refunded if the application is refused or withdrawn. Third-party costs — including medical exams, police certificates, and certified translations — are additional and vary by country and individual circumstances.

Parents and Grandparents Program Alternative

The Parents and Grandparents Program is not the only way to keep your family close. If you have not received an invitation to apply, or if the program is currently paused, the Super Visa is the most practical option available to you right now.

The Super Visa is a multi-entry visa that allows parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to stay in Canada for up to five years per visit. The visa itself can be valid for up to 10 years, so your family members can enter and re-enter multiple times without reapplying each year. This makes it a genuine long-term option, not just a short-term workaround.

Unlike a standard visitor visa, which typically allows a maximum stay of six months, the Super Visa is designed specifically for extended family visits. Parents and grandparents on a Super Visa can also apply to extend their stay while inside Canada.

What the Super Visa requires:

• The host (the Canadian citizen or permanent resident in Canada) must meet the minimum necessary income threshold for their family size
• The applicant must have at least $100,000 in private emergency medical insurance, valid for at least one year from the date of entry. As of January 2025, this coverage may be purchased from a Canadian insurer or from a foreign insurance company authorized by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI)
• The applicant must undergo a medical examination by an IRCC-approved panel physician
• The host must provide a signed letter of invitation confirming financial support for the duration of the visit

The Super Visa does not lead to permanent residence. Parents and grandparents on a Super Visa cannot work in Canada and are not covered by provincial health care plans. For families whose primary goal is permanent reunification, the Super Visa is a bridge — it keeps families together while a permanent residence pathway becomes available.

If the PGP reopens in the future, having a parent or grandparent already in Canada on a Super Visa does not affect their eligibility to be sponsored for permanent residence.

To find out whether the Super Visa is the right option for your family, book a consultation with a regulated immigration consultant, or visit our Super Visa service page for full eligibility details.

Parents and Grandparents Program vs. Super Visa

Two pathways exist for bringing parents and grandparents to Canada: the PGP for permanent residence, and the Super Visa for extended temporary stays. The table below outlines the main differences.

The Super Visa is the practical option for most families while the PGP is paused. It allows extended stays without requiring the full permanent residence process. Parents and grandparents can stay for up to five years at a time, and the visa allows multiple entries for up to 10 years.