Question 1

What is the Parents and Grandparents Program?

Accepted Answer

The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) is a Canada family sponsorship pathway that lets eligible Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and registered Indians sponsor their parents or grandparents for permanent residence. It is not an open, first-come application stream. A sponsor must first be invited by IRCC, then submit a complete sponsorship and permanent residence application within the deadline in the invitation.

Question 2

Is the Canada PGP open for new applications in 2026?

Accepted Answer

As of June 2, 2026, IRCC says the 2025 PGP intake is closed and that details on the next intake will be shared on the official website and social media channels when available. The 2025 intake invited potential sponsors who had submitted an Interest to Sponsor form in 2020. Families waiting for a new intake should monitor canada.ca and consider the Canada Super Visa if parents or grandparents need a long-stay temporary option.

Question 3

Who can sponsor parents or grandparents for Canada PR?

Accepted Answer

A sponsor must be invited to apply, be at least 18 years old, live in Canada, and be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act. The sponsor must meet the income requirement for the relevant family size and must not be barred because of issues such as defaulting on a previous undertaking, receiving social assistance other than disability support, being an undischarged bankrupt, or certain criminal convictions.

Question 4

What income is required for Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship?

Accepted Answer

PGP sponsors must meet the Minimum Necessary Income for each of the 3 tax years immediately before the application. IRCC calculates this using the sponsor's family size, including the sponsor, spouse or common-law partner, dependent children, people already covered by active undertakings, and the parents or grandparents being sponsored with their dependants. Proof is normally based on Canada Revenue Agency Notices of Assessment. A spouse or common-law partner may co-sign and combine income if eligible.

Question 5

Can I sponsor both parents, both grandparents, or more than one person?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if you are invited and meet the income requirement for the full family size. You can sponsor your own parents and grandparents related by blood or adoption, plus eligible dependants. If your parents or grandparents are divorced, IRCC may require separate applications for each parent and their current spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner. You cannot transfer your invitation to another person, including your spouse, to sponsor their parents.

Question 6

How much does Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship cost?

Accepted Answer

As of the April 30, 2026 permanent residence fee increase, IRCC lists the fee to sponsor a parent or grandparent at CAD 1,260 when the right of permanent residence fee is included. Biometrics are usually separate at CAD 85 per person, or CAD 170 for a family applying together where the family rate applies. Dependent children of a parent or grandparent have separate fees. Always confirm the fee total in the IRCC fee tool before paying.

Question 7

How long is the PGP sponsorship undertaking?

Accepted Answer

The federal undertaking period for sponsoring parents and grandparents is 20 years from the date they become permanent residents. During this period, the sponsor is financially responsible for the sponsored family members and may need to repay social assistance paid to them. Quebec has a separate provincial undertaking process, and IRCC notes that the parent or grandparent undertaking period in Quebec is 10 years.

Question 8

What documents are needed for a PGP application from India?

Accepted Answer

Core documents usually include the sponsor's Canadian status proof, invitation to apply, CRA Notices of Assessment for the required tax years, completed sponsorship and financial evaluation forms, identity and civil status documents, birth certificates proving the parent-child or grandparent-grandchild relationship, passports, police certificates, medical exam results, biometrics, and any documents for accompanying dependants. Indian documents not in English or French need certified translations.

Question 9

What happens after I receive an Invitation to Apply?

Accepted Answer

After receiving an invitation, the sponsor must submit the complete application by the deadline in the invitation package. The application includes the sponsorship forms and the permanent residence forms for the parent or grandparent. IRCC first reviews sponsor eligibility and income, then assesses the sponsored applicants for identity, relationship, medical, criminal, and security admissibility. Missing forms, incorrect family-size calculations, or weak relationship proof can delay processing.

Question 10

Is the Super Visa better than PGP?

Accepted Answer

The Super Visa is not better or worse; it serves a different purpose. PGP grants permanent residence but is invitation-based, income-tested across 3 tax years, and has a long undertaking. The Super Visa is a temporary resident visa for parents and grandparents that can allow stays of up to 5 years per entry, with possible extensions, but it does not give PR status. It is often the practical alternative when the PGP intake is closed or the sponsor is not invited.

Canada Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship FAQs: Your Questions Answered

Common questions.
Clear answers.

What is the Parents and Grandparents Program?

Is the Canada PGP open for new applications in 2026?

Who can sponsor parents or grandparents for Canada PR?

What income is required for Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship?

Can I sponsor both parents, both grandparents, or more than one person?

How much does Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship cost?

How long is the PGP sponsorship undertaking?

What documents are needed for a PGP application from India?

What happens after I receive an Invitation to Apply?

Is the Super Visa better than PGP?

Planning to sponsor your parents or grandparents?

Canada Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship FAQs: Your Questions Answered

Common questions. Clear answers.

What is the Parents and Grandparents Program?

Is the Canada PGP open for new applications in 2026?

Who can sponsor parents or grandparents for Canada PR?

What income is required for Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship?

Can I sponsor both parents, both grandparents, or more than one person?

How much does Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship cost?

How long is the PGP sponsorship undertaking?

What documents are needed for a PGP application from India?

What happens after I receive an Invitation to Apply?

Is the Super Visa better than PGP?

Planning to sponsor your parents or grandparents?

Common questions.
Clear answers.