Parents Grandparents Sponsorship Program
Welcome to a New Chapter of Family Togetherness in Canada
Parents Grandparents Sponsorship
Bringing your parents or grandparents to Canada as permanent residents is not just about fulfilling a need — it's about reuniting families and strengthening bonds across generations. Through the Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship Program, you have the opportunity to sponsor your loved ones, enabling them to live, work, and enjoy the peace and prosperity of life in Canada alongside you.
Why Sponsor Through This Program?
- Long-Term Reunion: Unlike temporary visas, this sponsorship facilitates a permanent move, so your family can truly call Canada their home.
- Healthcare and Benefits: Once they become permanent residents, your parents or grandparents will have access to healthcare and social benefits, providing them with security in their new life.
- Contribution to Community: Your loved ones can also engage with and contribute to local communities, enhancing their sense of belonging and fulfillment.
How Parents and Grandparents program works ?
The Parents and Grandparents Program allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their parents and grandparents to come to Canada. The program typically opens once a year, and here's how it works:
- Eligibility and Interest Submission: If you're eligible to become a sponsor, you must submit an interest to sponsor form during the specified intake period. This form was last available from October 13, 2020, to November 3, 2020.
- Review and Selection: After the form submission period closes, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reviews the submissions and removes any duplicates. They then randomly select and invite potential sponsors to apply to sponsor their parents and grandparents. Invitations are sent via email, and the invitation status is posted on the IRCC website.
- Application Submission: If you receive an invitation to apply, you must submit your application package by the deadline stated in your invitation. It's crucial to complete and submit all required forms and supporting documents as per the 2024 Document Checklist for Parents and Grandparents (IMM 5771). Failure to do so may result in your application being returned without processing.
It's important to note that preparing your application without receiving an invitation to apply is not advisable, as IRCC will return your application without processing it. If you live in Quebec, there are specific procedures for sponsoring your parents and grandparents in Quebec.
Number of Invitations Sent
The number of applications accepted to sponsor parents and grandparents in each intake is determined by the application target, which is set based on the future admission target for permanent residence. For the 2024 intake, the application target is 20,500, and we will send 35,700 invitations to ensure we reach this target, as not everyone invited will apply.
In previous intake years, the number of invitations sent and the application targets were as follows:
- 2023: 24,200 invitations sent, application target of 15,000
- 2022: 23,100 invitations sent, application target of 15,000
- 2021: 34,500 invitations sent, application target of 30,000
- 2020: 13,400 invitations sent, application target of 10,000
- 2019: 26,376 invitations sent, application target of 20,000
- 2018: 23,500 invitations sent, application target of 17,000
- 2017: 16,500 invitations sent, application target of 10,000
- 2016: No data available for invitations sent, application target of 10,000
- 2015: No data available for invitations sent, application target of 5,000
- 2014: No data available for invitations sent, application target of 5,000
Who can Sponsor
You can sponsor your biological or adopted parents and grandparents if you meet the following criteria:
- You're invited to apply.
- You're at least 18 years old.
- You live in Canada, with your primary residential address in Canada at the time of application submission and until a decision is made.
- You're a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act.
- You have enough money to support the people you want to sponsor, which requires providing proof of income. You may have a spouse or common-law partner co-sign the application to combine your incomes.
- You meet all other requirements under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.
- You commit to supporting the people you're sponsoring by signing a sponsorship agreement called an undertaking.
If you live in Quebec, you must also meet Quebec's immigration sponsorship requirements and submit an undertaking application to the Quebec ministry in charge of immigration after your sponsorship application is approved. However, you should not submit your undertaking application to Quebec until instructed to do so by the immigration authorities, as doing so prematurely may result in Quebec not processing your application.
Who cannot Sponsor
You may not be eligible to sponsor your parents and grandparents if you:
- Are in jail, prison, or penitentiary.
- Haven't paid back an immigration loan or a performance bond.
- Haven't provided the financial support you agreed to when sponsoring someone else in the past.
- Declared bankruptcy and are not discharged.
- Receive social assistance for a reason other than a disability.
- Were convicted of a violent criminal offence, any offence against a relative, or any sexual offence inside or outside Canada.
- Can't legally stay in Canada and must leave the country because you received a Removal Order.
There may be other reasons that make you ineligible to sponsor your parents and grandparents, and if so, you will be informed of the reasons.
How to apply?
To apply to sponsor your parents or grandparents to come to Canada, follow these steps:
- Check Eligibility: Ensure you meet the eligibility criteria to sponsor. This includes being a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, meeting income requirements, and signing an undertaking to financially support your family members.
- Gather Documents: Collect all necessary documents, such as proof of status in Canada, financial documents, identity and civil status documents for both you and the sponsored relative, medical exam confirmation, police clearance certificates, and any additional supporting documents.
- Complete Application Package: Fill out the sponsorship application forms and any accompanying forms as required. Ensure all information is accurate and up-to-date.
- Submit Application: Submit your completed application package to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) office designated for processing family sponsorship applications. Include the application fee and any additional fees as required.
- Wait for Processing: IRCC will process your application, which may include verifying documents, conducting medical exams and background checks, and assessing your eligibility and capacity to sponsor.
- Receive Decision: Once processed, you will receive a decision on your application. If approved, your parents or grandparents will be issued a permanent resident visa, and they can travel to Canada to live with you.
- Follow-Up: After approval, ensure you comply with any further requirements, such as landing procedures and settlement plans, to facilitate their smooth transition to life in Canada.
Gather documents
For sponsoring parents and grandparents in Canada, the specific documents required typically include:
- Application Forms: Completed and signed sponsorship application forms.
- Proof of Status in Canada: Copies of your Canadian citizenship or permanent resident documents.
- Financial Support Documents: Evidence of your income to demonstrate you meet the minimum necessary income (MNI) requirement, such as:
- Notice of Assessment (NOA) from Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for the most recent tax year.
- Employment letter stating your salary, job position, and length of employment.
- Pay stubs for the past few months
- Undertaking: Completed and signed undertaking to financially support your parents or grandparents for a specified period.
- Identity and Civil Status Documents: Copies of passports, birth certificates, and marriage certificates.
- Medical Examination: Confirmation of completion of medical exams by your parents or grandparents.
- Police Clearance Certificate: Police certificates from all countries where they have lived for more than six months since the age of 18.
- Other Supporting Documents: Additional documents may be required based on specific circumstances, such as proof of relationship, divorce certificates (if applicable), or proof of custody of dependent children.
Income Requirements of Sponsor
To sponsor your parents or grandparents through the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP), you need to meet the minimum income requirements. These requirements are updated annually and are based on your family size.
How to Calculate Family Size
To calculate your family size for sponsoring your parents or grandparents through the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP), you need to follow these steps:
- Count Your Family Members:
- Include yourself.
- Include your spouse or common-law partner, even if you're separated in most cases, and even if they will not come to Canada with your parents or grandparents. If your spouse or common-law partner is also your co-signer, include them.
- Include your dependent children.
- Include the dependent children of your spouse or common-law partner.
- Include any other person you and your co-signer (if applicable) sponsored or co-signed in the past, whom you're still financially responsible for, and their family members.
- Count the People You Want to Sponsor:
- Include the principal applicant (your parents or grandparents).
- Include the principal applicant's spouse or common-law partner, if applicable.
- Include the dependent children of the principal applicant and their spouse or common-law partner.
- Add the total number of people from both steps to determine your family size.
You must calculate your family size for each of the 3 tax years before the date you apply. For the 2024 intake, this means you'll calculate your family size for the tax years 2023, 2022, and 2021.
IRCC uses the Financial Evaluation for Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship form (IMM 5768) to assess your family size and income requirements. The calculation you enter into Box 7 of the IMM 5768 is used as a starting point, but IRCC will also confirm the calculation based on the detailed family information in your application.
It's important to note that if your family size changed during or since the 3 tax years before your application date, it could affect the amount of income you need for each of those years. IRCC may also calculate a different family size for specific years based on the detailed family information you provide in your sponsorship application.
What to do after you get invitation?
After receiving an invitation to sponsor your parents or grandparents for Canadian immigration, here are the general steps you would typically follow:
Accept the Invitation: Confirm your intention to sponsor your parents or grandparents. You usually have a limited time to accept the invitation, so ensure you respond promptly.
Submit Application Package: Prepare and submit the sponsorship application package, which includes:
- Sponsorship Application: Complete the sponsorship application forms provided by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
- Permanent Residence Application: Your parents or grandparents will need to complete their own application for permanent residence.
- Use the checklist provided by IRCC to ensure you include all required documents, such as proof of relationship, identity documents, and other supporting evidence.
Pay Fees: Pay the required fees for both sponsorship and permanent residence applications. These fees can vary and are non-refundable.
Wait for Processing: IRCC will process your application. This can take several months to over a year, depending on various factors such as the volume of applications and completeness of your submission.
Provide Additional Information: If requested by IRCC, provide any additional information or documentation promptly to avoid delays.
Medical Examination and Police Certificates: Your parents or grandparents will likely need to undergo a medical examination and obtain police certificates from their country of residence or any country where they have lived extensively.
Decision: Once IRCC makes a decision on the application, you will be notified in writing. If approved, your parents or grandparents will receive their Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and can then make arrangements to travel to Canada.
Settlement in Canada: After arriving in Canada, your parents or grandparents will need to fulfill any remaining requirements, such as the landing interview at the port of entry and fulfilling the conditions of their permanent residence.