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Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) Canada 2026
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Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) Canada 2026

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Sponsoring your parents or grandparents to Canada is one of the most meaningful – but also one of the most complex – family reunification pathways. The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) is invitation-based, highly regulated, and subject to strict government controls.

In practice, the program has not accepted new Interest to Sponsor submissions since 2020, and IRCC has continued to rely on older interest pools while pausing new intakes to manage backlogs. This means that, even if you meet all legal requirements, new sponsorship applications are not currently accessible to most families. For 2026, IRCC has confirmed that no new PGP intake is open, and the department is focusing on processing applications already submitted, reinforcing the limited and highly competitive nature of the program.

Because the program is not consistently open and processing can take many months to several years, many families now rely on temporary alternatives such as the Visitor Visa for Parents or the Super Visa (which allows 5-year stays per entry) to reunite with their parents while permanent sponsorship remains closed. Others review the broader family sponsorship pathway or explore our comparison page, which breaks down the three main ways to bring parents or grandparents to Canada and helps identify the most realistic option. 

A well-prepared application and a clear long-term strategy are especially important given the uncertainty around PGP reopening. Careful planning, accurate documentation, and up-to-date knowledge of IRCC rules play a critical role in long-term success. That’s why our licensed parent sponsorship consultants guide clients through every stage of the process, from initial eligibility assessment to preparing and submitting complete, well-organized applications. Between 2023 and 2025, we assisted over 1,200 families with their parent sponsorship cases. For personalized guidance, you can book an initial consultation with one of our experts or review our transparent parent sponsorship fees to plan with confidence.

Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) Canada 2026

When Will PGP Open in 2026?

The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) does not follow a fixed annual schedule. Instead, IRCC announces whether a new intake will open, what the submission process will look like, and when sponsors can expect the next steps.

For 2026, IRCC has shared an important update: PGP remains on pause for new applications, and there is currently no confirmed timeline for the program to resume a new intake. Because of this, there is no announced lottery or draw planned for 2026, and no new invitation results will be released unless IRCC officially changes its approach.

To stay informed, it’s best to follow IRCC announcements for the next update, including whether the intake will reopen and how invitations will be issued.

Interest to Sponsor Form (PGP Lottery System)

In previous years, IRCC used the Interest to Sponsor form to collect potential sponsors before selecting applicants through a random lottery (also called a draw). If the program reopens in the future, IRCC may accept a new intake through this system again and publish invitation results after the selection process is completed.

Parents Grandparents Sponsorship Eligibility Requirements

Sponsor Eligibility Requirements

Sponsoring a parent or grandparent for permanent residence in Canada is a highly regulated process governed by strict federal rules. Simply wanting to sponsor your parents is not enough—you must meet all legal requirements set out by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and the program itself is not always open to new applications.

As of early 2026, IRCC has paused new intakes under the Parents and Grandparents Program to focus on processing existing applications. This highlights how controlled and limited the program is, and why meeting eligibility criteria alone does not guarantee that an application can be submitted at any given time.

To qualify as a sponsor, you must be legally eligible and clearly established in Canada. This means you must:

  • Be at least 18 years old at the time you apply
  • Live in Canada
  • Have your primary residential address in Canada when you submit the application and keep it in Canada until IRCC makes a decision
  • Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered under the Canadian Indian Act
  • Meet all other requirements 
  •  

Situations that can make you ineligible

Even with an ITA, IRCC may find you not eligible if any of the following apply:

  • You’re in jail, prison, or a penitentiary

  • You defaulted on a previous sponsorship

  • You owe money for an immigration loan, performance bond, or court-ordered support payments

  • You’re an undischarged bankrupt

  • You receive social assistance, other than for disability

  • You have certain serious criminal convictions

  • You’re under a removal order or otherwise not legally allowed to remain in Canada

Being eligible doesn’t always mean you can apply right away. The Parents and Grandparents Program is invitation-based and not always open. When the program is paused, many families consider alternatives like the Super Visa for parents, or review broader family sponsorship options and compare all parents programs to plan ahead.

Applicant Eligibility Requirements

For a Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship application to succeed, it’s not enough for the sponsor to qualify – the parents or grandparents being sponsored must also be eligible and admissible under Canadian immigration law. IRCC assesses each applicant carefully, regardless of age or relationship, to ensure they meet Canada’s permanent residence standards.

You qualify as an eligible applicant if:

  • You’re the biological or legally adopted parent or grandparent of the sponsor

  • Your relationship to the sponsor can be proven with official documents, such as birth certificates or legal adoption records

  • You’re included in the application as:

    • A principal applicant (the sponsor’s biological or adopted parent or grandparent), or

    • An accompanying spouse or common-law partner of the principal applicant (for example, the sponsor’s other parent or a step-parent)

  • Any accompanying children meet IRCC’s definition of a dependent child

Important clarifications:

  • A step-parent cannot be the principal applicant and must be included only as the spouse or partner of the sponsor’s biological or adopted parent

  • If the sponsor’s parents are divorced or separated, only the biological or adopted parent may be sponsored

  • If a parent has remarried, the new spouse may be included as an accompanying family member, not as a principal applicant

  • All accompanying family members must also meet medical, criminal, and security admissibility requirements

There is no age limit for parents or grandparents. Advanced age alone never makes an applicant ineligible under the Parents and Grandparents Program.

PGP "Interest to Sponsor" Form

The Interest to Sponsor (ITS) form is the first step in the Parents and Grandparents Program Canada. It is used by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to manage demand for Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship, which is one of the most limited and competitive family immigration programs.

The Interest to Sponsor form is not a permanent residence application. Instead, it is an online registration that allows eligible Canadian citizens and permanent residents to express their interest to sponsor parents to Canada for permanent residence. No documents, fees, or income proof are required at this stage.

When IRCC opens the program, sponsors must submit the ITS form through IRCC’s official website during the announced intake period. After the intake closes, IRCC places all submissions into a pool and conducts a random lottery selection. Sponsors chosen through this lottery receive an invitation to submit a full Parents PR Sponsorship application under the Parents Sponsorship Canada stream.

Only sponsors selected through the lottery are allowed to proceed. Meeting eligibility or income requirements does not guarantee selection, as invitations are limited and based on IRCC’s annual targets and processing capacity.

In recent years, IRCC has often relied on previously submitted interest pools rather than opening new registrations. As of 2026, new ITS intakes remain paused while IRCC processes existing files.

Because access to PGP Canada is unpredictable, many families explore alternatives such as the Super Visa for parents and grandparents or Visitor Visa for parents while planning ahead for future opportunities to sponsor parents or grandparents permanently. You can also compare all the different ways to bring your parents or grandparents to Canada.

Sponsorship Undertaking & Responsibilities

The sponsorship undertaking is the legal commitment that makes parent and grandparent sponsorship one of the most serious obligations in Canadian immigration. By signing the undertaking, you agree to take full financial responsibility for your parents or grandparents after they become permanent residents of Canada.

This obligation exists to ensure that sponsored parents and grandparents do not need to rely on social assistance, and it applies regardless of changes in your personal or financial situation.

What the sponsorship undertaking means

When you sponsor a parent or grandparent outside Quebec, you sign two binding documents:

  • A sponsorship agreement with the sponsored person, and

  • An undertaking with the Government of Canada.

Through these, you commit to providing your parents or grandparents with their basic needs, including:

  • Food, clothing, and shelter

  • Utilities and household needs

  • Health care not covered by public insurance, such as dental and vision care

Length of the undertaking

The undertaking period for parent and grandparent sponsorship is:

  • 20 years in all provinces and territories outside Quebec

  • (Quebec has a different duration and process, which is not covered here)

The 20-year period begins on the day your parent or grandparent becomes a permanent resident, not when you submit the application.

Financial and legal responsibility

During the undertaking period:

  • Your sponsored parent or grandparent must not receive social assistance

  • If they do, you are legally required to repay the full amount to the government

  • You cannot sponsor anyone else until the debt is fully repaid

The undertaking cannot be cancelled, shortened, or transferred, even if:

  • Your income drops or you lose your job

  • You move within or outside Canada

  • Your family situation changes (separation, divorce, or death)

  • Your parent or grandparent becomes a Canadian citizen

Because of the length and seriousness of this commitment, some families choose temporary options like the Super Visa for parents, or compare responsibilities across Parent and Grandparent programs before applying.

IRCC Application Process

Document Checklist Requirements

The official IRCC checklist for parent and grandparent sponsorship must be followed exactly. The checklist shows what both the sponsor and the applicants must provide for the PGP PR sponsorship application.

In general, you can expect to include:

  • Required forms (sponsorship, permanent residence, background, family info, representative form)
  • ID/civil status documents (passports, birth certificates, marriage/divorce/death records, certified translations)
  • Proof of relationship (documents proving the parent-child relationship, such as birth/adoption records)
  • Sponsor financial documents (income proof, CRA Notices of Assessment, undertaking/financial evaluation)
  • Police certificates (for countries where the applicant lived 6+ months since age 18, when required)
  • Medical exam and biometrics (when requested/required by IRCC)

You must always check IRCC website for the most up-to-date parent and grandparent sponsorship checklist requirements before submitting.

IRCC Processing Time

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) provides regularly refreshed processing time estimates and processing updates through their official online tool. While these figures are not guaranteed turnaround times, they offer applicants an idea of the duration from the moment a complete application is received until a final decision is issued.

Parent and grandparent sponsorship processing times are typically longer than other family sponsorship streams and depend on factors such as:

  • the overall complexity of the case (e.g., issues with biometrics or medical exams)
  • sponsor eligibility and income review
  • background and security screening for applicants
  • the volume of files IRCC is currently managing

Delays frequently occur due to incomplete forms, missing documents or translations, incorrect fee payments, or if IRCC needs to issue multiple clarification requests.

fees for parent sponsorship

Financial planning for fees for parent and grandparent sponsorship involves two categories of costs: Government fees and third-party expenses. This breakdown will help you budget accurately.

Government fees are payable online to IRCC and may include:

  • Sponsorship fee
  • Principal applicant processing fee
  • Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF)
  • Biometrics fee

Essential third-party expenses not paid to IRCC may include:

  • Medical exams (panel physician fees)
  • Police certificates
  • Certified translations
  • Courier services

You must always refer to the official IRCC fee list for the latest amounts, as these immigration fees can change.

Application Status Tracker

After submitting your parent and grandparent sponsorship application, you can track your status through several IRCC tools. Most updates will appear in your IRCC secure online account/PR portal. Key updates include:

  • Document requests
  • Biometrics
  • Medical instructions
  • Decisions

You can also access your file through the IRCC Portal. If you use a representative, it will be through the Authorized Representative Portal instead.

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