Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship

The Canadian government takes family reunification so seriously that it is deemed a pillar of the country's immigration system. Immigration Refugees & Citizenship (IRCC) continues its commitment to assisting Canadian citizens and permanent residents in sponsoring their nearest and dearest to move to Canada. According to the Canadian Immigration Levels Plan for 2023-2025, the country hopes to invite 28,000 parents and grandparents this year, 34,000 for 2024, and 36,000 for 2025 via the Parents and Grandparents Program. Its latest Multi-Year Levels Plan, released in September 2023, reveals that IRCC will accept as many as 15,000 complete applications for sponsorship under this sponsorship program.

So, if you tick all the eligibility boxes, you can sponsor a parent or grandparent to help them gain Canadian permanent residency. Here's what you should know about Canada's Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship program.

Who You Are Allowed to Sponsor

Check Who You Can Sponsor to Move to Canada | Parental Sponsorship Program

According to IRCC, you can sponsor your biological or adoptive parents and grandparents to move to Canada. If your parents are divorced, you must have a separate application form for each divorced parent or grandparent. If any of them have a current spouse, common-law partner, or a conjugal partner, they will be regarded as dependents on the application. They will, therefore, be allowed to immigrate to Canada with your parents and grandparents, if the applications are approved.

People You Are Not Allowed to Sponsor

You cannot sponsor:

Your spouse’s parents and grandparents
A person considered inadmissible to Canada

Check Whether You Are Eligible to Sponsor Your Parents and Grandparents

Sponsor Your Parents or Grandparents to Move to Canada | Parental Sponsorship Program

To qualify for the Parents and Grandparents Program, you will need to be able to financially support your parents or grandparents. You will be responsible for them when they step foot on Canadian soil. This includes catering to their basic needs, such as housing and food. As a sponsor, you must ensure that your sponsored family member does not claim social assistance from the government.

The sponsor and sponsored person must both meet specific requirements. This includes the sponsored person passing their medical examinations and background checks. Let's take a closer look at what is required.

Eligibility Criteria

You will be eligible to sponsor your own biological or adopted parents and grandparents if you tick the following boxes:

You have been invited to apply
You are 18 or older
You reside in Canada
You are a Canadian citizen, have Canadian permanent residency, or are registered in the Great White North as an Indian via the Canadian Indian Act
You can financially support the people you wish to sponsor
You and your parents or grandparents can meet all the additional criteria under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations

What Disqualifies You as a Sponsor?

You may not be able to sponsor a parent or grandparent under the family sponsorship programs if you:

Are under 18
Have not received an invitation to apply (ITA)
Won't be residing in Canada at the time of your application submission
Don't have Canadian citizenship, Canadian permanent residency or are not registered as an Indian via the Canadian Indian Act
Have insufficient funds to support the person you wish to sponsor
Are receiving social assistance. The only exception is if it is disability assistance
Have a history of defaulting an undertaking. If you have sponsored a family member, spouse, or dependent child in the past and you did not meet the required financial obligation, you may not be eligible to sponsor again. The same applies if you have failed to pay family or child support
Are an undischarged bankrupt person
Have been convicted of a criminal offense that involves harming a relative; and
Are under a removal order

How to Apply For Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship

Apply to Canada's Parents and Grandparents Program | Parental Sponsorship Program

Once you score an ITA for parent and grandparent sponsorship, you'll have two applications to complete. One is for you to apply to become a sponsor. The other is for your parents or grandparents to apply for Canadian permanent residency. Both applications must be submitted online at the same time. Here is a breakdown of how to apply for Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship.

Step 1: Secure an Invitation to Apply

IRCC goes through a process in which they randomly select and invite potential sponsors to apply to sponsor their parents and grandparents to immigrate to Canada. If you're invited to apply, we'll email you using the email address you put on your 2020 interest to sponsor form.

For the upcoming intake, IRCC will invite potential sponsors who submitted their interest to sponsor in 2020. As mentioned above, a total of 24,400 invitations to apply will be sent out between October 10 and 23, 2023.

If IRCC invites you to apply, they will send your invitation to the email address supplied in your 2020 interest to sponsor form. It is, therefore, a good idea to check that email account. To make sure you don't miss our invitation.

Step 2: Complete Your Application Online

If you receive an ITA, you must apply online on the Permanent Residence (PR) Portal if you're applying by yourself or on the Representative Permanent Residence (PR) Portal if you use a representative.

Note: You must not complete your application until you are invited to apply to the latest intake. If you apply without an invitation, your application will be returned without a refund of the application fee.

Step 3: Pay the Required Application Fees

You must pay all required fees for your application online. This includes:

The processing fees for your application and the person you sponsor.
Right of permanent residence fees, which is paid once your application is approved
Biometrics fees, which is usually paid when you submit your application
Any fees that you may have to pay third parties for
Medical examination fees
Police clearance fees

Step 4: Submit Your Application Online

Your application must be submitted online. Before you do this, though, you must ensure the following:

All questions on documents must be answered truthfully
Your application must be signed electronically
All supporting documents are uploaded
Your ITA for the 2023 intake under the section "Required documents" in your online application is included and uploaded

Remember: An incomplete application cannot be processed. If yours is found to have missing elements, IRCC will send you a request letter to submit the missing documents. They will give you 30 days to submit these. If you do not provide the missing documents in this timeframe, your application will not be processed.

Step 5: Send All Requested Additional Information

The person you sponsor must submit all their required documents, which include their medical certificates, police clearance certificates, and biometrics. Note that biometrics must be completed within 30 days of receiving a biometric instruction letter.

FAQs

How Can I Keep Track of My Parent and Grandparent Program Application?

Once the eligibility of both applicants is confirmed, IRCC will send you an email with a request to link your application to an online account. This will make tracking your application progress possible.

What Should I do if I'm Not Invited to Apply to Sponsor my Parents or Grandparents?

If you aren't invited to apply to the Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship Program, all is not lost. Your parents and grandparents can apply for a Super Visa, permitting them to visit you in Canada for up to five years at a time.