Parent & Grandparent program (PGP)

Find out who can and can’t be sponsored to come to Canada under the parent and grandparent categories

Find out who can and can’t be sponsored to come to Canada under the parent and grandparent categories, if you can get parents' PR in Canada, income requirements to sponsor your parents, and more.

What is the Parent and Grandparent program?
Parents and grandparents who are sponsored under this program, known as the PGP, become permanent residents of Canada, with all the benefits that entails. This includes the freedom to live and work anywhere in Canada, regardless of time, place, or industry, as well as access to publicly financed health care and other services.

A total of 10,000 applications from the 2020 intake process will be included in the 2021 PGP intake, indicating that the Canadian government expects to receive up to 40,000 PGP applications in 2021 alone.

Eligibility for the PGP
Can a Canadian permanent resident sponsor their parents? This is a popular question. The answer is yes, both Canadians and residents can have access to the program. Here are the eligibility requirements for being able to sponsor a parent or grandparent.
  • ⬤ If you are at least 18 years old;
  • ⬤ You live in Canada;
  • ⬤ You are a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or a person who is registered as an Indian in Canada under the Canadian Indian Act;
  • ⬤ You have enough money to sustain the people you want to sponsor;
  • ⬤ To prove this, you must produce proof of income.
    • The following applies to potential sponsors who live outside of Quebec.

    There is a special term called an undertaking, which means you promise to financially support your parents or grandparents for a certain amount of time.

    The undertaking commits you to:
  • ⬤ Providing financial support for your sponsored family members for a period of 20 years, beginning when they become permanent residents; and
  • ⬤ Returning any provincial social assistance (government money) they get during that time.

    • Application Details: Medical Exam, Police, Biometrics

    Once you’ve determined you’re eligible, here are the application steps at a glance.

    1. Register your interest to sponsor.
    2. Find out if you’re invited to apply, then apply within 60 days.
    3. These steps must be done at the same time:
    a. You apply for sponsorship; and
    b. Your parents/grandparents apply for permanent residence.
    4. After you apply, wait for a decision: Current application processing times as of August 2021 are 20 to 24 months.
    5. Biometrics may be required (included in the above processing time); medical certificates and police certificates too.

    The Lottery System

    The Parent and Grandparent Program in 2021 will use the same random invitation mechanism, or lottery, as previous years. Potential sponsors must first fill out a form expressing their interest in sponsoring.

    If you've been invited to sponsor your parents and grandparents, you'll need to fill out two applications:
  • ⬤ First fill out the application to become a sponsor; then
  • ⬤ Permanent residency must be applied for by your parents or grandparents.
    • Submit both the sponsorship and permanent residence applications together online. It is important to do this at the same time. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada must receive this application package in 60 days from the date of your invitation. On your invitation to apply, the deadline will be clearly stated.

    Fees and proof of funds

    Application fees include three separate categories of fees. In total, fees are CAD 1,050. This includes the permanent residence fee (CAD 500), the processing fee (CAD 475) and sponsorship fee (CAD 75).

    Wondering about the income requirements for getting your parents or grandparents PR in Canada? See the official chart for the year that applies to you.

    As an example, CAD 32,899 was the income requirement for two people in 2020. This would apply if you bring one parent. If you want to sponsor both parents, the minimum is CAD 40,445.

    This amount is lower than usual since many people’s incomes were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. As an indication of what the amounts may be in future, the amounts for two and three people were CAD 41,007 and CAD 50,414, respectively.