Sponsoring Your Parents and Grandparents to Canada

One of the most common immigration goals among Canadians and permanent residents is bringing their parents or grandparents to join them permanently. Canada's Parent and Grandparent Program (PGP) allows eligible sponsors to apply for permanent residence on behalf of their parents and grandparents — but the path involves a highly competitive intake process, strict income thresholds, and long-term financial obligations that applicants often underestimate.

This article explains how the PGP works, what it takes to qualify as a sponsor, what the undertaking means in practice, and how the Super Visa functions as a practical alternative for families who want loved ones to visit for extended periods while a sponsorship application is pending or not yet available.

Because IRCC adjusts the PGP intake process, income thresholds, and program caps regularly, confirm all current requirements on Canada.ca or with a licensed immigration professional before relying on any specific figures or timelines.

How the Parent and Grandparent Program Works

The PGP is a stream under the family class sponsorship provisions of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). It allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their parents, grandparents, and in some cases step-parents and adoptive parents for permanent residence in Canada.

The Intake Process: Invitation-Based, Not First-Come-First-Served

The PGP does not accept applications on a rolling basis. IRCC opens an intake window — typically lasting a few weeks — during which potential sponsors must submit an Interest to Sponsor form or register their interest. From the pool of registered sponsors, IRCC randomly selects a set number of people and invites them to submit a full sponsorship application.

The number of invitations issued each year is determined by an annual cap set by IRCC. In recent years the cap has been tens of thousands of spots, but demand far exceeds supply. This means that being eligible to sponsor does not guarantee you will be invited — you may register your interest and not be selected, requiring you to try again in a future intake round.

Key implications:

• Watch for the intake window. IRCC announces when it opens; missing it means waiting at least a year.
• Random selection is not based on merit. Having higher income, more years in Canada, or a larger family does not improve your selection odds.
• Only invited sponsors can submit a full application. Do not send in a sponsorship package without first receiving an invitation.

Who Can Be a Sponsor?

To sponsor parents or grandparents, you must:

• Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or a person registered under the Indian Act
• Be at least 18 years old
• Reside in Canada (Canadian citizens living abroad may sponsor parents/grandparents to come to Canada, with conditions)
• Not be in breach of a previous sponsorship undertaking
• Not be receiving social assistance (other than for a disability)
• Meet the minimum income threshold

Income Requirements

Sponsors must demonstrate that they meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) threshold, which is set by reference to the Low-Income Cut-Off (LICO) plus 30 percent for PGP sponsorships. The MNI is calculated based on the size of the sponsor's family unit — including the people being sponsored.

IRCC requires income evidence for the most recent three tax years. All three years must meet the threshold for the family size as it will exist once the sponsored relatives arrive.

Income thresholds are updated annually. Do not use figures from previous years or from unofficial sources — always check the current LICO + 30% table published by IRCC.

Co-sponsors are permitted in some circumstances, but the rules around co-sponsorship have conditions and do not automatically allow two people to pool income. Legal advice is worthwhile if you are close to the threshold.

The Undertaking: What You Are Actually Promising

When you sponsor a parent or grandparent, you sign a legally binding undertaking — a formal promise to the Government of Canada that you will financially support the sponsored person and ensure they do not need to access most federal and provincial social assistance programs.

Duration

For parents and grandparents sponsored under the PGP, the undertaking lasts for 20 years from the date the person becomes a permanent resident. This is longer than the undertaking for spouses (3 years) or dependent children (10 years or until the child turns 25, whichever comes first).

What It Covers

The undertaking covers basic needs: food, clothing, shelter, dental, eye care, and other health needs not covered by public health insurance. If the sponsored person applies for and receives provincial social assistance during the undertaking period, the province can pursue repayment from the sponsor.

This Obligation Survives Change in Circumstances

The undertaking is not automatically cancelled if your financial situation changes. Divorce, job loss, or family breakdown does not end the obligation. This is a commitment potential sponsors must take seriously before entering the process.

The Super Visa: An Alternative Worth Understanding

Given that the PGP is subject to intake caps, random selection, and long processing times, many Ontario families use the Super Visa as a practical interim (or sometimes permanent) solution.

The Super Visa is a multi-entry visitor visa that allows parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to stay in Canada for extended periods — currently up to five years per entry, with the possibility of renewal. This is a significantly longer authorized stay than a standard visitor visa allows.

Super Visa Requirements

• The sponsor (child or grandchild) must meet an income threshold (lower than the PGP MNI — check Canada.ca for current amounts)
• The visitor must obtain Canadian medical insurance meeting IRCC's requirements — coverage must be valid for the duration of the stay and purchased from a Canadian insurance provider
• The visitor must be admissible to Canada

Key Differences from Permanent Residence

The Super Visa does not lead to permanent residence on its own. Super Visa holders are visitors: they cannot work, do not accumulate time toward Canadian citizenship, and must maintain their primary residence outside Canada. However, for families whose priority is togetherness — especially for aging parents who want to spend extended time with family — the Super Visa can provide meaningful, practical relief while a PGP application is in progress or before an intake window opens.

Frequently asked questions