Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship

PARENT AND GRANDPARENT (PGP) SPONSORSHIP ON HOLD

The Government of Canada has postponed the opening of the Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship Program for 2023, and will not be accepting new applications until further notice.

No new sponsorship applications and no related applications for a permanent resident visa made by sponsors’ parents or grandparents under the Family Class are accepted for processing until further Instructions are issued.

FIRST-COME, FIRST SERVED SYSTEM – PAST SYSTEM

In addition to increasing the quota for the program, the government had reverted back to a ‘first-come, first-served’ system and had eliminated the lottery system that had been used over the previous two years.

Under the past program, potential sponsors must first notify Immigration Canada that they are interested in sponsoring their parents and grandparents by submitting an “Interest to Sponsor” form. Immigration Canada would then invite potential sponsors to apply to sponsor their parents and grandparents on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.

The “Interest to Sponsor” form became available on January 28, 2019 and is currently closed. Those who wish to apply to sponsor their parents and grandparents in 2020 will need to wait for further instructions to see how the program will be implemented.

SPONSORSHIP REQUIREMENTS

In addition to being either a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident who is residing in Canada, sponsors must have an income that is at least equal to the minimum necessary income required (see income table, below). The amount required will depend on the size of your family unit, and sponsors may combine the income of their spouse or common-law partner if they will be co-signing the sponsorship application. Sponsors will be required to demonstrate that they meet the new income threshold for the three consecutive tax years prior to submitting the sponsorship application.

All persons being sponsored through this program must be either the parents or the grandparents of the person sponsoring them, and must pass medical, criminal and security background checks.

If you are not eligible to sponsor your parent or grandparent, you may want to consider applying instead for a Super Visa for Parents and Grandparents.