Parents and Grandparents Program
This program lets Canadian citizens, permanent residents and persons registered under the Indian Act aged 18 or older sponsor their own biological or adopted parents and grandparents for permanent residence; in-laws cannot be sponsored on one's own invitation. Because demand far exceeds the spaces in the Immigration Levels Plan, sponsors can only apply if IRCC invites them after an interest to sponsor round. Sponsors must meet a minimum necessary income, based on their tax records, and sign a 20-year support undertaking.
Paused
Intake paused on July 15, 2026: IRCC will not receive new interest to sponsor forms or invite potential sponsors to apply until further notice, while continuing to process existing applications (up to 15,000 people planned for approval in 2026). When intake is open, the program works by invitation only: sponsors submit an interest to sponsor form and IRCC randomly invites a limited number to apply.
Status
Job offer
How you apply
Key requirements
| Age | Sponsor must be at least 18 years old |
| Education | No education requirement is listed in the program's eligibility criteria for the sponsor or the sponsored parent or grandparent |
| Language | No language test requirement is listed in the program's eligibility criteria |
| Work experience | No work experience requirement; the sponsor's income record is assessed instead |
| Job offer | Not required |
| Where you must live | Sponsor must live in Canada (primary residential address in Canada from application until decision); sponsors in Quebec must also submit a Quebec undertaking after federal approval |
| How you apply | Expression of Interest (EOI) — you register a profile and wait to be invited |
| Money — funds, net worth, investment | Sponsor must meet the minimum necessary income and provide proof of income (a spouse or common-law partner may co-sign, providing income records for the last 3 taxation years); the sponsorship undertaking for parents and grandparents lasts 20 years |
Summary only — requirements change and details decide real cases. Always confirm the full criteria on the official program page before applying: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/family-sponsorship/sponsor-parents-grandparents/eligibility.html (this record was verified against that source on 23 Oct 2026). This page is general information, not legal or immigration advice.
Guides for this program
Guide: Super visa for parents and grandparents
Parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or registered Indians who want to visit for a long stay without applying for permanent residence.
Guide: Family sponsorship: spouses, children, parents, and other relatives
Canadian citizens and permanent residents who want to sponsor a spouse or partner, a dependent child, a parent or grandparent, or, in special cases, another relative.
Not sure this is your program?
Answer a few questions and get a free eligibility assessment from a licensed consultant.
How long will it take?
Current IRCC processing-time estimates, recorded daily.