You Received a PGP Invitation to Apply — What Happens Next?

Getting an Invitation to Apply (ITA) under the Parent and Grandparent Program is a genuine milestone, but it's also the moment the clock starts running. Understanding the PGP invitation to apply next steps correctly from day one avoids the single biggest risk at this stage: running out the response window before your application is complete.

An ITA means IRCC has selected you from the pool of interested sponsors and is now inviting you to submit a full sponsorship application. It is not an approval — IRCC still has to separately assess your eligibility, your parent or grandparent's admissibility, and the completeness of everything you submit.

You Have a Limited Response Window — Don't Wait to Start

Once you receive an ITA, you have a defined period to submit a complete application, and missing that deadline forfeits the invitation entirely. There's generally no extension, and no guarantee you'll be selected again in a future intake. Because the window is limited, the single most important thing to do the day you receive an ITA is start gathering documents immediately, not celebrate first and organize later.

Building the Complete Application Package

A PGP application at this stage is a substantial package, not a short form. At minimum, expect to assemble:

1. Sponsorship application forms, completed for both the sponsor and the principal applicant
2. Proof of the sponsor's status — Canadian citizenship or permanent residence
3. Income documentation demonstrating the sponsor meets the Minimum Necessary Income threshold, based on recent Notices of Assessment
4. Proof of the relationship being sponsored, such as birth certificates or adoption records
5. Police certificates for the principal applicant and accompanying family members, as required
6. Medical exam results, arranged through an IRCC-approved panel physician
7. Payment of the applicable government fees

Common Reasons This Stage Goes Wrong

• Underestimating how long it takes to obtain police certificates or schedule medical exams, especially from certain countries
• Discovering a tax filing gap only after starting to gather income documents
• Waiting until close to the deadline to start, leaving no room for a document that takes longer than expected to arrive
• Submitting incomplete forms because a family member abroad couldn't complete their portion in time

After You Submit: What IRCC Does Next

Once your complete application is submitted, IRCC reviews it for completeness first, then moves into substantive assessment of both the sponsor's eligibility and the principal applicant's admissibility. IRCC may request additional documents or schedule an interview if something needs clarifying. Processing at this stage can take a considerable amount of time, and current processing times should be checked directly with IRCC rather than assumed from a past cycle or another applicant's experience.

While You Wait

Many families use a Super Visa as a bridge, allowing a parent or grandparent to visit for an extended stay while the permanent residence application is still pending. It's a temporary status, not a step toward permanent residence itself, and it comes with its own separate requirements around income and medical insurance.

A Response-Window Checklist

• [ ] Confirm your exact deadline the moment you receive the ITA
• [ ] Start gathering documents immediately, not after a few days of planning
• [ ] Confirm your tax filings are current and request Notices of Assessment right away
• [ ] Book medical exams and request police certificates as early as possible
• [ ] Have every family member's portion of the forms started well before the deadline
• [ ] Double-check every document against IRCC's current checklist before submitting

Frequently asked questions