Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has just announced an update to the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP). IRCC will accept up to 15,000 complete PGP sponsorship applications this year. On October 10, IRCC will begin sending invitations to apply to 24,200 interested potential sponsors, aiming to receive up to the 15,000 complete applications. Due to the number of forms remaining in the pool of submissions from 2020, invitations to apply will be sent to randomly selected potential sponsors from that pool instead of opening a new interest to sponsor form. If you submitted an interest to sponsor form in 2020, but did not receive an invitation to apply in 2021 or 2022, you are encouraged to check the email account you provided in 2020 when you submitted your interest to sponsor form. If you are invited to apply as part of the 2023 intake, IRCC will continue to use the Permanent Residence Portal or the Representative Permanent Residence Portal, which allow applications to be submitted electronically.

Immigration Levels Plan

In 2022, IRCC invited 23,100 potential sponsors to apply to sponsor their parents and grandparents with the goal of receiving 15,000 complete applications. Every year, IRCC releases its Immigration Levels Plan, which it uses to guide its operations and set out its goals for welcoming newcomers to Canada. In 2023, Canada’s newcomer target is 465,000 new permanent residents. Canada’s goal is to welcome 28,500 parents and grandparents in 2023. By 2025, Canada’s newcomer target is 500,000, and 36,000 parents and grandparents.

The Super Visa

The Super Visa is a popular option for Canadian citizens and permanent residents who want to bring their foreign parents and grandparents to Canada. It is a temporary visa that allows parents and grandparents to visit their family for up to five consecutive years without having to renew their visitor status. Super Visa holders can enter Canada multiple times for up to 10 years. Those who already have a Super Visa may be able to apply for an extension that allows them to stay in Canada for up to seven years as a visitor. There is no lottery for the Super Visa and it is offered all year, so it is a great option for those looking for more certainty when sponsoring their parent or grandparent. In order to be eligible for the Super Visa, an applicant must:

• Be a parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
• Not be inadmissible to Canada on the basis of criminality or health
• Prove that they can meet the income requirements identified by the Low-Income Cut Off (LICO)
• Provide a signed letter from their child or grandchild inviting them to Canada, and includes a promise of financial support for the length of the visit and the list and number of people in the household of this person
• Provide proof of medical insurance coverage for at least one year with a Canadian insurance company.