Under Canada Parents and Grandparents Program, citizens and permanent residents of Canada can sponsor their parents and grandparents to join them in Canada and settle there.

Canada’s Parents and Grandparents program allows families of Canada PR visa holders and citizens to migrate to Canada. In 2022, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 23,100 invitations under this program.

The program permits sponsored parents and grandparents to become permanent residents of Canada, with all the benefits and facilities that come with it. The sponsored parents can live and work anywhere in Canada and access publicly funded healthcare and other social benefits. Sponsored parents and grandparents may also eventually become Canadian citizens.

In 2023, the government of Canada intends to invite 28 500 new residents under the Canada family visa program. In 2022, 27,255 permanent residents migrated to Canada through the PGP, which stood at 11 740 in 2021.

Parent and Grandparent Program Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for the Parent and Grandparent Program, both the sponsor and the sponsored person must fulfill the following visa requirements:

As a sponsor, you must:

• Be 18 years of age or older; 
• Be living in Canada as a citizen or PR visa holder
• Meet the minimum income threshold to support themselves, members of their family unit, as well as those they wish to sponsor.
• Sign an agreement with the person you are sponsoring that confirms that each of you understands your mutual obligations and responsibilities; 

• sign an undertaking committing to provide for the basic requirements of the person being sponsored; 

PGP Minimum Income Requirements (Outside of the province of Quebec)

Size of family unit	Minimum Income 2020	Minimum Income 2019	Minimum Income 2018
2 persons 3 persons 4 persons 5 persons 6 persons 7 persons	$32,270 $39,672 $48,167 $54,630 $61,613 $68,598 $6,985	$41,007 $50,414 $61,209 $69,423 $78,296 $87,172 $8,876	$40,379 $49,641 $60,271 $68,358 $77,095 $85,835 $8,740

Document Checklist

You need the following documents for preparing the Canada Parents and Grandparents program: 

• Fully filled IMM5771 form
• The person who wants to sponsor must include the first and last names of their parents
• Provide names exactly as it is written on the passport or proof of status in Canada.
• Proof of date of birth
• permanent resident card
• Record of Landing (IMM 1000) (only if you didn’t get a permanent resident card)
• Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5292 or IMM 5688)
• Canadian citizenship certificate or card
• Copy of your Invitation to Apply
• Canadian passport (pages showing passport number, date of issue and expiration, photo, name, surname, place, and date of birth)
• secure certificate of Indian status

Super Visa

Some individuals cannot invite their parents under the Parent and Grandparent program. It may be because they are not invited to apply, thus, cannot bring their parents or grandparents to Canada sooner.

Fortunately, there is another way to bring your parents to Canada through a Super Visa. IRCC allows parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or PR visa holders to enjoy extended visits to Canada under the Super Visa program. The visa allows a sponsored person to remain in Canada for up to two years initially. The visa is valid for up to 10 years, so the holders can stay in Canada until the validity of their visa.

Please note that the Super Visa is not a permanent residency visa. All potential immigrants must undergo private medical insurance and may not be able to work in Canada unless they have a valid work permit. Super key also has a quicker processing time than the PGP, so families can reunite sooner. Moreover, applicants need not show an invitation to apply as they can submit the application at any time after meeting the basic eligibility requirements.

Do you want to know more about Canada spouse visas or other family visa pathways? Get in touch with us today to get started. Call us at 8595338595 or [email protected]