Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP): Intake Paused Since July 2026

On July 15, 2026, IRCC announced it was pausing intake under the Parents and Grandparents Program. It said it "will not receive new interest to sponsor forms or invite potential sponsors to apply until further notice." No end date was given.

IRCC is continuing to process the roughly 50,900 PGP applications it has already received. The 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan sets a target of 15,000 parent and grandparent admissions in each of 2026, 2027, and 2028.

For updates, see our PGP intake paused status page.

In recent years, the PGP ran in three stages:

1. Interest to sponsor. Potential sponsors submitted an online form during an intake window.
2. Invitations. IRCC randomly selected people from the pool of submitted forms and invited them to apply. Demand was always far higher than the number of invitations.
3. Application. Invited sponsors submitted a full sponsorship and permanent residence application, including proof of income.

Sponsor requirements (when the program is open):

• 18 or older, living in Canada, and a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian.
• Income at or above the minimum necessary income plus 30% for your family size, for each of the 3 tax years before you apply, shown on Canada Revenue Agency notices of assessment. A spouse or partner can co-sign and combine income.
• A 20-year undertaking (outside Quebec) to repay any provincial social assistance your parents or grandparents receive. In Quebec, the undertaking is 10 years and Quebec sets its own income rules.

These rules could change when the program reopens.

Under the PGP you can sponsor your biological or adoptive parents and grandparents. Their spouse or common-law partner can be included in the same application, as can their dependent children (for example, your younger siblings, if they meet the dependent child definition).

Each person included must pass medical, security, and criminal checks. Unlike sponsored spouses and dependent children, parents and grandparents are subject to the "excessive demand" medical rule, so a serious health condition that would place heavy costs on health or social services can lead to a refusal. If a parent has a serious health condition, get advice from a lawyer or licensed consultant (RCIC) before applying.

The pause does not cancel applications already submitted. IRCC continues to process them.

• Keep your contact details up to date in your IRCC account.
• Respond quickly to requests for medical exams, biometrics, or updated income documents.
• If your parents are visiting on a Super Visa or visitor visa while they wait, keep their temporary status valid.

Check the IRCC processing times tool for current times.

The parent and grandparent Super Visa is still open. It is a multiple-entry visa valid for up to 10 years, allowing stays of up to 5 years at a time. Your parents need private Canadian medical insurance, and you need to meet a minimum income. See the Super Visa page.

Other options depend on your parents' situation:

• A regular visitor visa or eTA for shorter visits.
• Their own immigration program. If your parent is still working, they might qualify through Express Entry or a provincial program on their own merits.
• Include parents in your own application? Parents cannot be included as dependants in your own PR application. They must qualify separately.

If your parent has a serious medical need or a unique hardship, get advice from a lawyer or licensed consultant (RCIC) about whether a humanitarian and compassionate application could be appropriate. These are rarely approved and should not be used as a routine workaround.

• File your taxes every year. PGP income is proven through Canada Revenue Agency notices of assessment for 3 consecutive years.
• Keep your income above the threshold. If you plan to co-sign with your spouse, both of you should file taxes.
• Collect documents now: your parents' birth certificates showing your relationship, and identity documents.
• Watch official sources only. IRCC announces intake on canada.ca. Anyone charging to "register" you for a future PGP intake is not connected to IRCC. See scam protection.