Parents & Grandparents Sponsorship (PGP)

The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) allows eligible Canadian citizens, permanent residents and persons registered under the Indian Act to sponsor qualifying parents or grandparents for permanent residence in Canada.

Unlike many other family sponsorship categories, PGP operates through a controlled intake system. The program is currently paused for new applications. IRCC is not accepting new Interest to Sponsor forms or issuing new invitations until further notice, while existing applications continue to be processed.

Anka Canada Immigration Consulting assists families with assessing sponsor eligibility, reviewing income and family-size calculations, and preparing PGP applications when an eligible sponsor has received an invitation to apply.

Services are provided by Volkan Sacilik, RCIC-IRB, CICC Licence No. R1042981.

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Current Status of the Parents and Grandparents Program

PGP is not continuously open.

IRCC periodically determines when potential sponsors may submit an Interest to Sponsor form and when invitations to apply will be issued. At present, new intake is paused, and IRCC has stated that it will not accept new Interest to Sponsor forms or issue new invitations until further notice. Existing applications continue to be processed.

When the program is open, a complete sponsorship application can only be submitted after IRCC issues an Invitation to Apply. An application submitted without the required invitation will be returned.

Parents and grandparents who are not able to use PGP may wish to consider the Super Visa, which is a temporary residence option rather than permanent residence.

Learn more: Super Visa for Parents and Grandparents →

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Who Can Sponsor a Parent or Grandparent?

A sponsor must generally:

• be at least 18 years old;

• live in Canada;

• be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or person registered under the Indian Act;

• receive an Invitation to Apply when an intake is available;

• meet the applicable income requirement; and

• sign the required sponsorship undertaking and agreement.

Unlike certain spousal or child sponsorship situations, a Canadian citizen living abroad cannot normally sponsor a parent or grandparent through PGP while residing outside Canada. The sponsor's primary residential address must be in Canada when the application is submitted and throughout processing.

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What Is the Income Requirement?

PGP has a specific financial eligibility requirement.

Outside Quebec, the sponsor must generally demonstrate that they met the required income level for each of the three tax years immediately before the application. IRCC normally assesses this using the sponsor's Canada Revenue Agency Notices of Assessment.

The required amount depends on the sponsor's family size, which can include:

• the sponsor;

• the sponsor's spouse or common-law partner;

• dependent children;

• people covered by certain previous sponsorship undertakings;

• the parent or grandparent being sponsored; and

• their eligible accompanying family members.

Because family-size calculations can affect eligibility significantly, they should be reviewed carefully before relying on income figures.

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Can a Spouse or Common-Law Partner Co-Sign?

In appropriate cases, the sponsor's spouse or common-law partner may act as a co-signer.

A co-signer accepts the same financial responsibility under the sponsorship undertaking, and their qualifying income may be combined with the sponsor's income when assessing whether the applicable financial requirement has been met.

The co-signer must also meet the applicable eligibility requirements.

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Who Can Be Sponsored?

An eligible sponsor may sponsor their biological or adopted:

• parents; and

• grandparents.

Depending on the family situation, the sponsored parent's or grandparent's spouse or common-law partner and qualifying dependent children may also be included in the application.

A person cannot directly sponsor their spouse or common-law partner's parents using their own invitation. If the spouse or partner receives their own invitation, however, the other partner may potentially act as a co-signer

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How Long Is the Sponsorship Undertaking?

For PGP applications outside Quebec, the sponsorship undertaking generally lasts for 20 years from the date the sponsored parent or grandparent becomes a permanent resident.

During this period, the sponsor remains financially responsible for the sponsored family member's basic needs.

The undertaking does not end simply because:

• the sponsored person becomes a Canadian citizen;

• the sponsor's financial circumstances change;

• the family relationship changes; or

• either person moves to another province or country.

If the sponsored person receives certain social assistance during the undertaking period, the sponsor may be required to repay those amounts.

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When Might a Sponsor Be Ineligible?

A person may be prevented from sponsoring a parent or grandparent in certain circumstances, including where they:

• do not meet the required income level;

• receive social assistance for a reason other than disability;

• are in default of certain previous sponsorship obligations;

• have unpaid immigration loans or court-ordered family support obligations;

• are an undischarged bankrupt;

• are subject to a removal order; or

• have certain criminal convictions.

Other restrictions can also apply depending on the sponsor's immigration and sponsorship history.

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Common Issues in PGP Applications

PGP applications can become more complicated when:

• family size is calculated incorrectly;

• the sponsor does not meet the income requirement for one of the required tax years;

• a previous sponsorship undertaking is overlooked;

• the wrong family members are included in the family-size calculation;

• marital or dependent-child information is inconsistent;

• a parent, step-parent or accompanying family member is incorrectly identified in the application;

• an application is prepared without a valid invitation.

Because PGP intake is limited, verifying eligibility before submitting an invited application can help avoid problems that could affect an opportunity that may not be immediately available again.

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How Anka Canada Immigration Consulting Can Assist

Anka can review the sponsor's immigration status, family composition, income history and previous sponsorship obligations to assess whether the PGP requirements appear to be met.

Where an Invitation to Apply has been received, we can also prepare the sponsorship and permanent residence application, verify the family-size and income calculations, review supporting documentation and provide representative submissions where additional explanation is required.

The objective is to ensure that sponsor eligibility, financial requirements and family information are accurately and consistently presented throughout the application.

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Important Information

PGP intake rules, invitation procedures, financial requirements and program availability can change. The program may also remain closed to new applicants for periods of time.

This page provides general information only and does not guarantee an invitation to apply, sponsorship eligibility or permanent residence approval.