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Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship Canada (PGP)
- The parents/grandparents sponsorship (PGP) process falls under Canada’s Family Sponsorship Program. This program was introduced to help Canadian permanent residents and citizens bring their parents or grandparents to Canada after receiving permanent residence.
- Prospective sponsors should note that sponsoring parents in Canada has recently become more complicated. Since 2021, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) have been allowing only individuals with an official Invitation to Apply to sponsor their parents or grandparents.
- Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 23,100 invitations to apply to people who wish to sponsor their parents and grandparents in 2022. Additionally, Canada has targeted 28,500 PGP applicants in 2023, 34,000 in 2024, and 36,000 in 2025 as mentioned in the Canada Immigration Levels Plan 2023-2025.
Benefits of Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship
- The Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship (PGP) Program is great for Canadians who wish to bring their aging parents or grandparents to Canada and take care of them. PGP Canada is beneficial if the parents or grandparents do not have anyone to care for them in their current country of residence.
- As your parents get PR in Canada through PGP Program, they can take complete benefits of their status. They can work in Canada, get a health care card, and protection under Canadian law and the Charter of Rights and Freedom. They can even apply to become a Canadian citizen once they qualify to apply.
Income required for the 3 tax years right before the day you apply (sponsors applying in 2022)
- You, the sponsor (and your co-signer, if you have one) must prove you have enough income to support all the people you’ll be financially responsible for once you become a sponsor. This includes yourself.
- If you’re invited to apply, you have to provide proof that you meet the income requirements for each of the 3 tax years before the date you apply.
This table applies to you if you live in any province or territory except Quebec.
Table 1:
Size of Family Unit | MNI 2021 | MNI | MNI |
2 persons | $32,898 | $32,270 | $41,007 |
3 persons | $40,444 | $39,672 | $50,414 |
4 persons | $49,106 | $48,167 | $61,209 |
5 persons | $55,694 | $54,630 | $69,423 |
6 persons | $62,814 | $61,613 | $78,296 |
7 persons | $69,934 | $68,595 | $87,172 |
Each additional person | $7,120 | $6,985 | $8,876 |
Table 2 below refers solely to the persons being sponsored. Principal applicants should add the relevant figure from Table 1 above to the relevant figure in the right-side column of Table 2 to arrive at the total minimum income required.
Additional income required of the sponsor to satisfy the basic needs of the sponsored person and his or her family members | ||
Number of persons 18 years of age or over | Number of persons under 18 years | Gross annual income required of the sponsor |
1 | $8,740 | |
2 | $13,852 | |
The gross annual income required increases by $4,619 for each additional person under 18 years of age. | ||
Number of persons 18 years of age or over | Number of persons under 18 years | Gross annual income required of the sponsor |
1 | $18,469 | |
1 | 1 | $24 815 |
1 | 2 | $28,021 |
The gross annual income required increases by $3,203 for each additional person under 18 years of age. | ||
Number of persons 18 years of age or over | Number of persons under 18 years | Gross annual income required of the sponsor |
2 | $27,085 | |
2 | 1 | $30,340 |
2 | 2 | $32,754 |
The gross annual income required increases by $2,404 for each additional person under 18 years of age and by $8,610 for each additional person 18 years of age or over. | ||
Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship: Step By Step Process
The application process for the Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship Canada is summarized below:
- Fill Out and Submit the Interest to Sponsor Form
Prospective sponsors must first fill out an “Interest to Sponsor Form” and submit it with IRCC. It should be noted that this form has been closed since November 2020 and will stay closed until further notice from IRCC.
Successful prospective sponsors who submitted this form before the closing date mentioned above and have received an Invitation to Apply can proceed to the next step.
- Fill Out Both Applications
Prospective sponsors must then fill out a special Sponsor application, while their parents or grandparents must fill out a different permanent residence application. Not that both these applications must be submitted online at the same time.
- Pay the Fees
The sponsor and their parents or grandparents must then pay application fees. This includes the following:
- Sponsorship fees: $75 CAD
- Processing fees for each parent or grandparent: $490
- Right of permanent residence fees for each parent or grandparent: $515 CAD
- Biometrics fees per parent or grandparent: $85 CAD
- The fees mentioned above must be paid online.
- Submit Fingerprints and Photos
Parents or grandparents will be asked to give their fingerprints and get their photos taken once they have submitted their applications.
- Medical Exams and Police Clearance
Parents or grandparents will then be required to undergo medical exams and obtain police clearance certificates. If IRCC approves the application, they will receive permanent resident status and be allowed to come to Canada.
PGP Program Canada: Processing Time
The processing time for the Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship (PGP) Program Canada is approximately 20 to 24 months. You can check the most recent processing time for PGP Program Canada here.
Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship vs. Super Visa
The Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship (PGP) offers permanent residence for parents or grandparents. On the other hand, the Super Visa is a temporary visitor visa that allows them to stay in Canada for up to 7 consecutive years with extensions.