Sponsor parents and grandparents for Canadian PR
The Parents and Grandparents Program allows eligible Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their parents and grandparents for permanent residence. It is different from the Super Visa, which is a temporary visitor option for longer stays.
PGP is highly intake-dependent. IRCC has used interest-to-sponsor forms and invitation rounds, and applicants should not submit a full application unless they are invited. If you are not invited, a Super Visa may be the more practical family reunification plan.
How PGP works
The usual process is:
- The sponsor submits an interest to sponsor form when IRCC opens intake.
- IRCC removes duplicates and selects potential sponsors.
- Invited sponsors receive instructions and a deadline.
- The sponsor and applicant submit a complete online application package.
- IRCC reviews sponsor eligibility, income, relationship, admissibility, medicals, police certificates, and supporting documents.
Sponsor eligibility
Sponsors generally need to:
- be at least 18 years old
- be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian
- live in Canada
- meet income requirements for the required taxation years
- sign an undertaking to support the sponsored family members
- not be barred from sponsoring because of default, certain convictions, bankruptcy, or other ineligibility factors
Family size calculations matter. You must include your own family members, people you are already responsible for under past undertakings, and the people you want to sponsor, including certain non-accompanying family members.
If PGP is closed or you were not invited
Do not prepare a full PGP application unless you have an invitation. Instead, compare:
- Super Visa for long visits
- Visitor Visa for shorter visits
- future PGP intake monitoring
- broader Family Sponsorship options
How Sawubona helps families
We check sponsor eligibility, income, family size, past undertakings, relationship documents, civil status records, and Super Visa alternatives. The goal is to avoid preventable refusals and missed deadlines.
Official reference
For current PGP process details, see IRCC's Parents and Grandparents Program Help Centre page.
