Hi there! Did you know that parents and grandparents can be sponsored to immigrate permanently to Canada by Canadian citizens or permanent residents?
It’s a fantastic method of maintaining family unity! This Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship Program is based on a lottery, and a set number of candidates is chosen randomly each year.
If chosen, your parents or grandparents may be granted permanent residency in Canada. This is a fantastic chance to reconnect with loved ones in this stunning nation!
When will parent sponsorship open for 2024 ?
The Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship Program (PGP) will reopen this month as Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) prepares to send out invitations to potential sponsors.
In an announcement, the department stated that it will begin sending out 35,700 invites on May 21, 2024, to accept 20,500 complete applications.
To sponsor their parents and grandparents, IRCC asked 24,200 potential sponsors to apply; 15,000 applications were expected to be completed.
IRCC only considered applicants who filed an interest form for a sponsor.
- Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Meet the minimum necessary income requirements to support the sponsored family members.
- Sign an undertaking promising financial support for the sponsored relatives and any accompanying family members.
- Agree to support the sponsored relatives and their dependents without seeking social assistance from the government.
These eligibility criteria ensure that sponsors can financially support their parents or grandparents and are committed to their well-being during their stay in Canada.
Interest to sponsor form 2024
To apply for the Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship Program in Canada, you need to follow these steps:
- Check Eligibility: Ensure you meet the eligibility criteria, including being a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian under the Canadian Indian Act.
- Gather Documents: Collect all necessary documents, including proof of identity, proof of relationship with your parents or grandparents, and financial documents demonstrating your ability to support them.
- Submit Interest to Sponsor Form: Complete and submit the Interest to Sponsor form through the IRCC website during the designated intake period. This form indicates your interest in sponsoring your parents or grandparents.
- Receive Invitation to Apply: If your interest form is selected, you’ll receive an invitation to apply through an email. Make sure to respond within the specified timeframe.
Note: The interest-to-sponsor form is currently closed, which means IRCC is not accepting new forms. For the 2024 intake, IRCC will respond to the interest forms submitted in 2020.
How to check if you are invited for parents sponsorship
- Check your email: IRCC typically sends invitations to apply via email. Keep an eye on your email inbox, including your spam or junk folder, for any communication from IRCC.
- Check your invitation status: For the interest form submitted in 2020, go through the “Check your invitation status” tool on the official page on May 31, 2024, to find out about your invitation status.
- Confirmation number: Use the confirmation number IRCC provided you with when you submitted your interest form to find out if you’ve been invited to apply.
How long does it take to sponsor parents to Canada?
The processing time for the PGP Sponsorship Program could range from approximately 20 to 24 months.
However, this timeline is subject to change and may vary based on individual circumstances.
How to get invited to sponsor parents Canada?
To meet Eligibility criteria to sponsor parents and grandparents in Canada you must:
- You must be a Canadian citizen, registered Indian, or permanent resident of Canada to sponsor your parents or grandparents.
- Meet minimum income requirements to demonstrate your ability to financially support your parents or grandparents once they arrive in Canada. This includes providing their basic needs, such as food, clothing, and shelter.
- Be at least 18 years of age.
- Sign a sponsorship undertaking to provide financial support to your parents or grandparents for a specified period.
- Submit an Interest to Sponsor form during the designated intake period and receive an invitation to apply.
- Prove the relationship between you and your parents or grandparents through documentation such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, or adoption papers.
- Not be in default of any previous sponsorship undertaking or court-ordered support payments.
- Not receive social assistance (with some exceptions) to sponsor your parents or grandparents.
Benefits for sponsored parents in Canada
- Sponsored parents become permanent residents of Canada.
- They are eligible for Canada’s publicly funded healthcare system, which provides coverage for essential medical services.
- They reunite with their children and grandchildren already residing in Canada.
- They get access to various social services and benefits, including language training, settlement support programs, and community resources.
- They have the right to work, so they get the opportunity to contribute to the Canadian economy and support themselves financially.
- Sponsored parents are entitled to the same legal rights and protections as Canadian citizens.
- They can access educational opportunities for themselves or their dependents, including public schools and post-secondary institutions.
- Sponsored parents may be eligible for retirement benefits such as the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Old Age Security (OAS).
- They enjoy a higher standard of living, safe communities, and diverse cultural experiences.
- They have the opportunity to integrate into Canadian society and build meaningful relationships with others.
- They may apply for Canadian citizenship, which would grant them additional rights and privileges, including the ability to vote and hold a Canadian passport.
Processing Fee For Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship
The processing fee for sponsoring a parent through Canada’s Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship Program (PGP) is $1,080 per adult. The processing fee for a dependent child is $155.
The IRCC estimates that PGP applications take 20–24 months to process, but it may take longer if the application is incomplete.
Income requirement for sponsoring parents 2024
How much money do you need to sponsor your parents in Canada?
Income is required for the three tax years right before the day you apply (sponsors applying in 2022).
| Total number of people you’ll be responsible for | 2022 | 2022 | 2020 |
| 2 People | $43,082 | $32,898 | $32,270 |
| 3 People | $52,965 | $40,444 | $39,672 |
| 4 People | $64,306 | $49,106 | $48,167 |
| 5 People | $72,935 | $55,694 | $54,630 |
| 6 People | $82,259 | $62,814 | $61,6137 |
| 7 People | $91,582 | $69,934 | $68,598 |
If you are not selected?
Like PGP, IRCC also operates the Super-Visa pathway. Applicants approved under this program can stay in Canada for up to five years at a time, with the ability to extend that stay by two years. Applicants are also able to reapply for their visa after their status expires.
Sponsors are not limited to applying through the IRCC; unlike the PGP, they can apply for the Super Visa scheme year-round. The IRCC will process all completed Super Visa applications within 112 days of receiving them. Between 2022 and 2023, the department processed 67% of applications that satisfied this requirement.
If you have a question for IRCC, you can use a web form.