Parent and Grandparent Program

Update—March 27th, 2020—Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced that the 2020 intake for the Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship Program (PGP) will be further delayed due to the outbreak of COVID-19. IRCC stated:

The launch of the annual call for expressions of interest to apply was anticipated in the coming weeks. Given the present circumstances, however, we are prioritizing our efforts to contribute to the whole-of-government response to the pandemic.

The PGP had already been delayed once, earlier in the year. With the COVID-19 situation rapidly evolving and public officials unsure how long the crisis will last, there is no estimate as to when the PGP will open. We will continue to monitor this program and will post an update when it becomes available.

Overview: Canada’s Parent and Grandparents Program (PGP)

Through the PGP, Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor their parents and/or grandparents for Canadian permanent residence.

In 2019, immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) aimed to invite enough sponsors to receive 20,000 complete applications. However, the intake was criticized for extremely limiting technical factors.

The PGP reopened to interested sponsors on January 28, 2019 at 12 noon EST, using a new system. Just a few minutes later, however, the ‘interest to sponsor’ form — used to gather submissions of interest in the program from would-be applicants — was quickly closed ‘for now’ as IRCC had received enough submitted forms.

It is unclear what kind of system the government will use in 2020 for managing PGP intake applications. New details will be posted here when they are available.

The Parent and Grandparent Program: an overview

Canada’s Family Class immigration category allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their parent(s) or grandparent(s) through the Parent and Grandparent Program.

Sponsored parents and grandparents become permanent residents of Canada, with all the benefits that come with it. This includes the right to live and work in Canada without restriction on location, time, or sector, as well as access to publicly-funded health care and other services. Ultimately, sponsored parents and grandparents may become Canadian citizens.

Under the government of Canada’s multi-year immigration plan, around 20,500 new permanent residents were admitted through the Parent and Grandparent Program in 2019. This figure may also include applications submitted prior to 2019.

Important changes took effect in 2019

In 2019, as in previous years, the interest to sponsor form was available online so that eligible potential sponsors could let IRCC know they wish to sponsor their parents and grandparents to come to Canada. However, instead of randomly selecting the sponsors to apply, as was the case in 2017 and 2018, IRCC invited them to submit an application to sponsor their parents and grandparents based on the order in which it receive their interest to sponsor forms.

This first-come, first-served model created incredible technical difficulties for prospective applicants and was the subject of widespread criticism.

Other changes in 2019 included a requirement for potential sponsors to upload a copy of a status in Canada document when submitting their interest to sponsor form, which had also been enhanced from previous years to include features that will help IRCC detect duplicate submissions and potential fraud.

To be eligible in 2019, both the sponsor and the person(s) being sponsored must have met certain eligibility requirements. These eligibility requirements are subject to amendment for the 2020 season, although the vast majority of criteria are expected to remain the same.

Sponsors must:

• be either a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada;
• meet certain income requirements (see below); and
• support the sponsored person(s) and their dependants financially.

The sponsor and the sponsored person(s) must sign a sponsorship agreement that:

• commits the sponsor to provide financial support the sponsored person(s) and any other eligible relatives accompanying them for a period of three to 20 years, depending on their age and relationship to the sponsor, beginning on the date they become a permanent resident; and
• states that the persons becoming permanent residents will make every effort to support themselves.

Residents of Quebec must sign an ‘undertaking’ with the province of Quebec. This is a contract that binds the sponsorship. Sponsors in Quebec must also meet Quebec’s sponsorship requirements after being approved as a sponsor by IRCC.

Minimum income requirements

The Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) requirement must be met for each of the three years preceding the date of the application to sponsor a parent or grandparent. Applicants must include their three most recent Notices of Assessment when applying in order to show the MNI requirement.

The figures below represent the MNI for applicants residing in Canada outside the province of Quebec. The size of the family unit includes the sponsor.

Super Visa

Potential sponsors may be unable or unwilling to submit an application under the Parent and Grandparent Program. This may be because they were not invited to apply, or want to bring their parent(s) or grandparent(s) to Canada sooner.

Fortunately, there is another way. IRCC allows parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to enjoy extended visits to Canada under the Super Visa program. With a Super Visa, a person may be approved to remain in Canada for up to two years upon initial entry to Canada. The visa itself is valid for up to 10 years, so holders may return to Canada for as long as the visa remains valid.

The Super Visa is not a permanent residence program. Applicants need to obtain private medical insurance and may not work in Canada unless otherwise authorised to do so. However, the relatively quick processing times mean that families may be reunited in Canada sooner than under the Parent and Grandparent Program. Moreover, applicants do not have to be invited to apply; if eligible, they may submit an application at any time and be approved to come to Canada.