Sponsor your parents & grandparents for a PR in Canada
The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) lets Canadian citizens and permanent residents sponsor their parents or grandparents for PR. The program is invitation only and currently paused for new applications in 2026; the Super Visa is the main alternative.
Sponsoring parents and grandparents is invitation only.
The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) is one of Canada’s most restricted family sponsorship pathways. Unlike spousal sponsorship, PGP operates through a controlled intake system: only sponsors who receive a formal invitation from IRCC can submit a complete application. The sections below walk through how the lottery works, who qualifies, and what financial obligations apply.
The lottery system explained.
PGP is not a first come, first served program. To sponsor a parent or grandparent, you must first submit an Interest to Sponsor (ITS) form during a short intake window announced by IRCC. The submitted forms enter a pool, and IRCC randomly selects a limited number of sponsors to invite. Only those who receive an invitation can submit a complete sponsorship application within the deadline stated in their letter.
The current ITS pool was created in October and November 2020, when IRCC collected 203,213 expressions of interest in a three week window. Since then, the program has continued drawing invitations from this same 2020 pool: no new ITS submissions have been accepted in the years that followed. In 2025, IRCC issued 17,860 invitations between July 28 and August 12, aiming to receive 10,000 complete applications by the October 9 deadline.
As of January 1, 2026, IRCC has paused new PGP applications until further instructions are issued. Only applications submitted under the 2025 invitations are being processed in 2026. Sponsors who were not invited and families that did not enter the 2020 pool have no current pathway to apply, and most plan around the Super Visa as a long term visit alternative while monitoring future intake announcements.
Who can be sponsored under PGP.
Under PGP you can sponsor your parents or grandparents related by blood or adoption as principal applicants. Their spouse or partner and any dependent children may be included on the same application. The relationships covered are narrow and strictly defined.
Principal applicant
- Parents (biological or adopted)
- Grandparents (biological or adopted)
Accompanying family
- Spouse or common-law partner of the principal applicant
- Dependent children (your siblings, half-siblings, or step-siblings)
- Step-parents cannot be the principal applicant. They can only be included as the spouse of your biological or adopted parent.
- To sponsor more than one couple (for example, both parents and grandparents), you must submit separate applications, and your income must meet the MNI for the total number of people sponsored.
The income requirement explained.
PGP sponsors must meet the Minimum Necessary Income for each of the three tax years before the application. The threshold depends on family size and is verified through CRA Notices of Assessment.
3 consecutive
No averaging. Each year must meet the threshold.
Family size
Higher family size means higher income required.
Spouse or partner
May co-sign with 3 NOAs to combine incomes.
Income required for the three tax years before the application. Source: IRCC.
| Family size | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 people | $47,549 | $44,530 | $43,082 |
| 3 people | $58,456 | $54,743 | $52,965 |
| 4 people | $70,972 | $66,466 | $64,306 |
| 5 people | $80,496 | $75,384 | $72,935 |
When PGP reopens, IRCC will publish updated thresholds based on the latest tax years.
Income is read from line 15000 of your NOA. Excluded: social assistance, regular EI, OAS, GIS, federal resettlement assistance. Included: EI special benefits (maternity, parental), CERB and CRB.
If you live in Quebec, the federal table does not apply. MIFI assesses your income through a separate calculation, and you must meet the Quebec requirement before IRCC approves the PR application.
The 20 year undertaking.
Sponsoring parents or grandparents binds the sponsor for 20 years in most provinces and 10 years in Quebec. The undertaking begins the day the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident, not when the application is submitted. If a co-signer is involved, both are equally liable for the full period.
During the undertaking the sponsor must provide for the basic needs of the sponsored person and any accompanying family members: food, clothing, shelter, dental care, eye care, and other health needs not covered by public services.
If the sponsored person receives social assistance from a provincial, territorial, or municipal program during the undertaking period, the sponsor must repay the full amount. A sponsor in default cannot sponsor anyone else until the debt is settled. The undertaking cannot be cancelled once it begins, even if the relationship changes, the sponsor faces financial hardship, or either party becomes a Canadian citizen or moves abroad.
Current processing times
IRCC processing times reflect 80% of completed applications and update monthly. PGP timelines remain among the longest in the Family Class, especially for Quebec destined cases.
Outside Quebec
~34
months
Current IRCC estimate
Quebec destined
60+
months
Includes MIFI processing
Service standard
24
months
IRCC target processing
Acknowledgement of Receipt
4-8
weeks
Confirms application is in process
Three linked pathways to consider.
Sponsorship eligibility
Sponsor eligibility for parents and grandparents requires meeting income, residency, and admissibility criteria. Reviewing this before applying prevents costly refusals and avoids disqualification on technical grounds.
Sponsorship appeals
PGP refusals can be appealed to the Immigration Appeal Division within 30 days. Common grounds include income calculation disputes and family relationship documentation. Appeals are litigation style proceedings with strict deadlines.
Super Visa
The Super Visa allows parents and grandparents to visit Canada for up to ten years with multiple entries and stays of up to five years per visit. With PGP intake paused, this is the main pathway for families wanting extended time together in Canada.
Why hire an RCIC?
Family sponsorship refusals most often stem from insufficient documentation, missed eligibility conditions, or incomplete submissions. Family Class refusals can be appealed to the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) within 30 days, but appeals are litigation-style proceedings. Mistakes are expensive: lost fees, family separation, and limited remedies.
Under Canadian law, paid representation before IRCC is restricted to Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs), lawyers, and Quebec notaries. RCICs are licensed and regulated by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC), with mandatory continuing education and a binding code of ethics.
Megrez Immigration Consultants is a CICC licensed firm and has operated in Vancouver since 1996.
Related Services
Family Class sponsorship requires precise eligibility analysis and complete documentation.
Book a free assessment with a licensed RCIC. We review your case against IRCC requirements and prepare the strongest possible application.
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