Canada places an immense priority on reuniting family members through immigration. That is why the family class is consistently Canada’s second-largest group of immigrants. In the first half (Jan-July) of 2022, 51,745 immigrants came to this country through family-class programs.
From dependent children and spouses to parents and grandparents, Canada takes great pride in providing Canadian citizens and permanent residents with programs to help bring their loved ones to this country.
One of these programs is called the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP).
Sponsor your parents and grandparents for Canadian immigration
A program that uniquely only lasts several weeks every year, the PGP provides Canadian citizens and permanent residents with a way to help their parents and grandparents receive permanent residence in this country. Eventually, parents and grandparents who become permanent residents through this program may also be eligible for Canadian citizenship.
Under this program, Canadians can sponsor either one or both of their parents or grandparents, but they are still required to list their other living parent/grandparent on the application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
The PGP changes the number of applications it takes every year. For context prior to providing an explanation of the program, IRCC accepted a maximum of 10,000 applications in 2020 but that number rose to 30,000 in 2021.
This number could change once again when the IRCC opens PGP applications for the 2022 year.
Although this criteria may change for the 2022 program year, the 2021 eligibility criteria for this program were as follows:
Details regarding the MNI requirement for the Parents and Grandparents program are as follows:
Details regarding the undertaking process for the Parents and Grandparents program are as follows. By signing an undertaking, the Canadian applicant (outside of Quebec) is making a 20-year commitment to:
There are several reasons a potential PGP sponsor may be deemed ineligible for this program. Some of those reasons include if the potential sponsor:
The following were the four application steps for this program in 2021. Please note that this process may change for the 2022 program year.
Step 1: Ensure you have met the eligibility criteria
If a sponsor wishes to do so, they may have their common-law partner or spouse co-sign the PGP application to help meet the minimum necessary income criteria for eligibility. The co-signer must also prove income for the three taxation years prior to the application submission. Additionally, a PGP co-signer will be subject to the same eligibility requirements as the primary sponsor as well as the terms associated with the signed undertaking.
Step 2: Have completed an Interest to Sponsor form on IRCC’s website
Step 3: If a sponsor has submitted a past ‘Interest to Sponsor’, they must ensure they update the information entered in those forms
Step 4: Wait for the IRCC to hold their annual PGP lottery, after which sponsors will have 60 days to submit completed sponsorship applications to IRCC if selected
IRCC lottery note: IRCC has found their lottery system to be the fairest and most transparent selection process for the PGP. It removes duplicate applications and ensures true randomization.
There are crucial differences in the PGP process for Quebec when compared to the rest of Canada.
Below are differences in eligibility criteria and application steps from 2021. Please note that these criteria and steps may change again for the 2022 program year.
2021 Eligibility Criteria:
2021 Application Steps:
Step 1: Ensure you have met the eligibility criteria
Step 2: Have completed an Interest to Sponsor form on IRCC’s website
Step 3: If a sponsor has submitted a past ‘Interest to Sponsor’, they must ensure they update the information entered in those forms
Step 4: Wait for the IRCC to hold their annual PGP lottery, after which sponsors will have 60 days to submit completed sponsorship applications to IRCC if selected
Step 5: Obtain a Quebec Selection Certificate (“CSQ” in French) by applying to the Quebec government. Once it is obtained, submit it to IRCC
The IRCC notes that the average processing time for a PGP application is between 20 and 24 months.
Sponsor your parents and grandparents for Canadian immigration
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