Canada Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship: Requirements, Eligibility, Process & Documents for Indians
Sponsor your parents and grandparents for Canadian PR through the invitation-based Parents and Grandparents Program. LICO+30% income for 3 years, 20-year undertaking, ~20-24 month processing.
~20-24 months
From CAD 1,260 + biometrics
Permanent Residence
Canada Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship (PGP) is a permanent residency stream administered by IRCC under the Family Class that allows Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and registered Indians under the Indian Act to sponsor their parents and grandparents for PR. PGP is invitation-based; sponsors must first submit an Interest to Sponsor form during the annual intake window and wait for a randomised invitation to apply. PGP is the largest annual non-Express-Entry PR pathway and reunites multi-generational families through a legally binding 20-year sponsorship undertaking.
Eligible sponsors must be at least 18 years old, reside in Canada, and meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI = LICO + 30%) for 3 consecutive tax years immediately before applying. A co-signing spouse or common-law partner may combine income to meet MNI. IRCC fees start from CAD 1,260 per parent or grandparent when the Right of Permanent Residence Fee is included, plus biometrics where required. The sponsorship undertaking is 20 years from PR and processing takes approximately 20-24 months. If you are not invited under PGP, the Canada Super Visa is a multiple-entry visitor visa allowing parents and grandparents to stay up to 5 years per entry over a 10-year validity.
Eligibility
Who can apply for Canada Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship?
- Canadian citizens aged 18 or older residing in Canada and able to meet the Minimum Necessary Income test for 3 consecutive tax years
- Permanent residents aged 18 or older with valid PR status, currently residing in Canada, who meet MNI for 3 consecutive tax years
- Registered Indians under the Canadian Indian Act, regardless of citizenship or PR status, who meet MNI for 3 consecutive tax years
- Sponsors who can demonstrate income through Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Notices of Assessment for the most recent 3 tax years
- Sponsors with a co-signing spouse or common-law partner whose combined income meets MNI (the co-signer signs the same undertaking)
- Parents and grandparents (biological, step, or legally adopted) of the sponsor, plus their dependent children where applicable
- Sponsors residing in Canada who have not defaulted on a previous sponsorship undertaking and are not under specified inadmissibility bars
- Sponsors who first submitted an Interest to Sponsor (ITS) form during the most recent IRCC intake window and were invited to apply
- Sponsors residing in Quebec who additionally complete the Quebec selection process with MIFI under separate provincial rules
PGP is invitation-based: sponsors must first submit an Interest to Sponsor form during the annual IRCC intake window and wait for a randomised invitation. Quebec sponsors complete a separate provincial selection with MIFI in addition to the federal application. Verify the current ITS intake status on canada.ca.
Requirements
What are the requirements and key details of Canada Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship?
- Sponsor Minimum Age: Sponsor must be 18 years or older at the time of submitting the sponsorship undertaking
- Sponsor Status: Sponsor must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian under the Indian Act
- Sponsor Residence: Sponsor must reside in Canada (citizens may not sponsor parents/grandparents while living abroad, unlike in spousal sponsorship)
- Sponsor Income (Minimum Necessary Income): Sponsor (or sponsor + co-signer) must meet LICO + 30% for the 3 consecutive tax years immediately preceding the application
- MNI for Family of 2 (illustrative, 2025 tax year): Approximately CAD 36,510; verify the current IRCC income table at canada.ca for the exact threshold for your family size
- MNI Family Size Calculation: Includes sponsor, sponsor's spouse/common-law, all dependants of sponsor, all sponsored persons (parents/grandparents), and their dependants
- Income Proof: CRA Notices of Assessment or Option C Printouts for the 3 most recent tax years
- Co-Signer Allowed: Yes, a spouse or common-law partner may co-sign and combine income to meet MNI
- Eligible Sponsored Relatives: Sponsor's parents and grandparents (biological, step, or legally adopted), plus their dependent children
- Sponsorship Undertaking Length: 20 years from the date PR is granted (the longest undertaking under the Family Class)
- Application Mode: Invitation-based: sponsors first submit an Interest to Sponsor form during the IRCC intake window, and only invited sponsors may apply
- Sponsor Parent or Grandparent Fee: CAD 1,260 per parent/grandparent when the Right of Permanent Residence Fee is included (increased April 30, 2026)
- Sponsor Parent or Grandparent Without RPRF: CAD 660 when the Right of Permanent Residence Fee is not paid upfront
- Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF): CAD 600 per adult
- Biometrics Fee: CAD 85 per applicant; CAD 170 family rate
- Total Government Fees per Adult: From CAD 1,260 per adult, plus biometrics where required
- Processing Time (India): Approximately 20-24 months (verify against the IRCC live processing-time tool)
- Section 117(9)(d) Bar: Parents/grandparents not declared and examined at the sponsor's own PR application are barred from being sponsored later; this is a hard, no-discretion bar
- Sponsor Inadmissibility Bars: Default on a previous undertaking, certain criminal convictions, undischarged bankruptcy, or being a sponsored spouse within 5 years of own PR
- Quebec Special Rules: Quebec sponsors sign a separate undertaking with MIFI (10 years for parents/grandparents in Quebec, which is shorter than the federal 20) and complete Quebec selection
- Alternative Route (Canada Super Visa): Long-stay visitor visa for parents/grandparents not invited under PGP: 5 years per entry, 10-year validity, single-year LICO+30% income test, ~169-day processing from India, no PR
Documents
What are the documents required for Canada Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship?
- Valid Indian passport with at least 6 months validity beyond the application date for each sponsored parent and grandparent, plus digital passport-style photographs meeting IRCC specifications
- Sponsor's proof of status: a Canadian citizenship certificate, Canadian passport, PR card, or Certificate of Indian Status (CIS)
- Completed sponsorship application forms, including IMM 1344 (Sponsorship Agreement) and IMM 5768 (Financial Evaluation for Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship)
- Completed Generic Application Form for Canada (IMM 0008) and Schedule A (Background/Declaration IMM 5669) for each principal applicant
- Sponsor's Notices of Assessment (NOA) or Option C Printouts from the Canada Revenue Agency for the 3 most recent tax years, proving Minimum Necessary Income
- Sponsor's most recent T4 slips, employment letter, and pay stubs supporting the income claim
- If using a co-signer, the co-signer's NOA, T4 slips, employment letter, and pay stubs for the same 3 tax years
- Proof of relationship: birth certificates of the sponsor (showing the sponsored parent as parent) and the sponsored parent (showing the sponsored grandparent as parent)
- Adoption decree where the sponsored relationship is via legal adoption, plus translations into English or French
- Police clearance certificates from every country the sponsored parent or grandparent has lived in for 6 months or more since age 18
- Upfront medical examination (eMedical) results from an IRCC-approved panel physician for each sponsored parent and grandparent
- Biometrics: fingerprints and photograph collected at a VFS Canada centre in India for each applicant aged 14-79
- Sponsorship Undertaking and Agreement signed by the sponsor (and co-signer, where applicable) committing to 20 years of financial support from PR
- Quebec sponsors only: a separate undertaking with the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI) and Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ)
- Marriage certificate or proof of common-law partnership for any accompanying dependent spouse of the sponsored parent or grandparent
- Birth certificates and dependency proof for any accompanying dependent children of the sponsored parent or grandparent
- Additional documents and requirements may vary based on the specific Canada Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship intake year, applicant profile, or immigration pathway
Application Process
How to Apply for Canada Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship: Step-by-Step Process
Confirm Sponsor Eligibility and Income
Verify that the sponsor is a Canadian citizen, PR, or registered Indian aged 18 or older, residing in Canada, with no inadmissibility bars. Calculate income across the 3 most recent tax years against the IRCC Minimum Necessary Income table for your family size, which includes the sponsor, the sponsor's family, sponsored parents/grandparents, and their dependants. If individual income falls short, plan for a co-signing spouse or common-law partner.
Submit the Interest to Sponsor (ITS) Form
Watch the IRCC PGP page for the annual Interest to Sponsor intake window (typically opens in the autumn or early in a calendar year; verify the current status on canada.ca). Submit the ITS online during the open window. Each sponsor may submit only one ITS per intake year. Save the confirmation number for reference.
Wait for an Invitation to Apply (ITA)
After the ITS window closes, IRCC issues invitations to apply through a randomised draw. The number of invitations is set against the annual PGP cap published in the Immigration Levels Plan. If you are not invited in the current year, your ITS does not carry forward and you must resubmit during the next intake. Consider applying for a Canada Super Visa as a long-stay alternative.
Gather Documents and Sign the Undertaking
Once invited, collect identity, status, relationship, financial, medical, and police-clearance documents. The sponsor signs the Sponsorship Agreement (IMM 1344) and Financial Evaluation (IMM 5768) committing to 20 years of financial support from PR. The co-signer (if any) signs the same undertaking. Quebec sponsors prepare a separate MIFI undertaking and Quebec Selection Certificate documents.
Submit the Application via the IRCC PR Portal
Within the deadline stated in the invitation letter, create an IRCC PR Portal account and upload the sponsorship application alongside the principal applicant's PR application. Pay the current IRCC family sponsorship fees, including the parent or grandparent sponsorship fee, Right of Permanent Residence Fee if paid upfront, and biometrics fee for applicants aged 14-79 where required.
Complete Biometrics, Medical, and Police Checks
After receiving the Biometrics Instruction Letter, each sponsored parent and grandparent attends a VFS Canada centre in India for fingerprints and photograph. Complete the upfront medical exam with an IRCC-approved panel physician, and the results will upload directly to IRCC. Submit police clearance certificates from every country lived in for 6+ months since age 18.
Sponsor Eligibility and Application Review
IRCC first assesses the sponsor's eligibility and income. If the sponsor passes, the file moves to the visa office responsible for the principal applicant's country of residence for processing the principal applicant. A visa officer reviews relationship documents, medical and security clearances, and may request additional documents through the PR Portal.
Receive Permanent Residence and Land in Canada
If approved, each sponsored parent and grandparent receives a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and a permanent resident visa. They must land in Canada before the COPR expiry to activate PR status. The 20-year sponsorship undertaking begins on the date PR is granted, meaning sponsors are financially responsible if their parents claim provincial social assistance during this period.
The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) is the primary permanent residency pathway for parents, but it is invitation-based and requires meeting the three-year Minimum Necessary Income threshold alongside a serious 20-year financial undertaking. For families facing long lottery delays, the Canada Super Visa serves as a practical, fast-processing alternative that allows multiple entries of up to 5 years per visit over a 10-year validity using a single year of income proof.
For detailed insights on eligibility, document checklist, visa validity, and common refusal reasons, explore Family Sponsorship FAQs guide to know the answers of all your questions.
Related Resources
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