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Parent Grandparent Program Canada: Strengthening Family Connections

The Parent Grandparent Program - PGP Canada is a visa program introduced in 2002 and allows Canadian citizens aged 18 to 44 to submit an application for the admission of their parents and grandparent during the 30-day intake period each year. The PGP-Canada program is not a lottery. Candidates are selected based on a first-come, first-served basis and the requirements that they must meet.

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If you are successful in sponsoring your relative(s), they will be granted permanent residency status in Canada. This means they will be able to live, work, and study here indefinitely. As their sponsor, you will be responsible for supporting them financially during their first few years in Canada.

quick facts

  • Application Processing time: 24 months.

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  • IRCC Fee: Processing fee ($850) + Right of permanent residence fee ($515) + Biometrics fee ($85 ). Total: C$1450 based on 1 person.

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  • Upfront Medical Required: Yes​

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  • Minimum Work Experience Required: 1 year.

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  • Minimum Education Required: High School.

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Parent grandparent program

Whom can you sponsor under the Parent and Grandparent Program?

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  • You can sponsor your own parents and grandparents, related by blood or adoption.

  • If your parents/grandparents are divorced or separated, you can them and their spouses, or conjugal or common-law partners.

  • You are only allowed to include additional applicants such as your brothers and sisters, or half brothers and sisters, if they qualify as dependent children.

  • If your sponsorship application includes more than 1 person or couple, you will need to provide proof of income/funds requirements for all the people you want sponsor and their dependents (spouse, partner and children).

 

Please note:

  • All Applicants included in your sponsorship application must meet the eligibility requirements.

What are the eligibility requirements for the Parent grandparent program?

 

As a sponsor, under this category, you can only sponsor your own parents or grand parents and need to meet the following eligibility criteria. As a sponsor you must:

  • Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident of Canada, or a registered Indian under the Canadian Indian Act;

  • Be 18 years of age or older;

  • Be able to provide sufficient proof that you reside/live in Canada;

  • Provide sufficient proof of funds to support the persons you want to sponsor.

  • Sign an undertaking to financially support the sponsored for 20 years (starting when they become permanent residents); and

  • to repay any social assistance benefits paid to the sponsored family members (if applicable) for a period of 20 years.

Who is not eligible to sponsor a parent or grandparent?

 

You are not eligible to sponsor your parents and grandparents if: 

  • you are below the age of 18 years old

  • you are not able to convince the assessing officer that you intend to live in Canada when you apply to sponsor your parents and grandparents and/or when your parents and grandparents become permanent residents

    • Your primary residential address must be in Canada when you submit your application and until a decision on your application is made.

  • you are not a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or a person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act

  • you are in Canada as a temporary resident (visitor, student or work permit holder in Canada)

  • your permanent residence application is still in process

    • You must have permanent resident status at the time you submit your sponsorship application.

  • your proof of income shows you don’t have enough money to support the persons you want to sponsor

 

You may not be eligible to sponsor your parents and grandparents if you:

  • are in jail, prison, or penitentiary

  • didn’t pay back:

    • an immigration loan

    • a performance bond

    • court-ordered family support payments such as alimony or child support 

  • didn’t give the financial support you agreed to when you signed a sponsorship agreement to sponsor someone else in the past

  • declared bankruptcy and are not discharged 

  • receive social assistance for a reason other than a disability

  • were convicted of a violent criminal offence, any offence against a relative or any sexual offence inside or outside Canada

  • can’t legally stay in Canada and must leave the country because you received a Removal Order

What is the process to apply for sponsorship under the Parent Grandparent Program - PGP?

 

This is a 2-step application:

  1. Application and approval of the sponsor

  2. Application and approval of the applicant(s).

 

You need to follow the following steps:

  1. Submit a interest to sponsor form. IRCC randomly selects candidates to apply to sponsor their parents or grandparents. Think of it more as a lottery system.

  2. Receive an invitation to apply. In 2020, IRCC sent ITA’s to 10000 potential sponsors.

  3. Prepare the application. This step comes into effect once you receive an ITA. After securing an ITA, you need to prepare your application package for submission.

  4. Pay the applicable fee. Depending on your situation, the following fees need to be paid:

    1. Application Processing fee – C$500.00

    2. Right to Permanent Residence – C$550.00

    3. Biometrics Fee (if applicable to you) – C$85.00

    4. Medical Exam – As applicable

    5. Police Certificate (PCC) – As applicable

  5. Application Submission – After you receive an ITA, you will have 60 days to submit your completed application.

  6. Additional information – If IRCC needs more information or further clarification, they will contact you or the same and you will need to provide the specified information.

 

Once IRCC approves your eligibility as a sponsor, they will then evaluate the applicant(s). If either of you are found ineligible, your application may be refused and a reason for refusal provided by the IRCC. Once your application package is received by an assessing officer, they will check for completeness of the package, appropriate fees paid, whether you were actually sent an ITA and you submitted the application before the deadline.

 

If for any of the above-mentioned reasons or others, the assessing officer is not satisfied, they will return it to you. But once they begin your application, they will share an application number and acknowledgment of receipt. This means that they have now begun the process of determining eligibility of the sponsor as well as the applicant(s).

How long does it take to process the Parent Grandparent Program - PGP application?

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The processing time varies between 20-24 months.

What are the income requirements to sponsor a family member to Canada?

 

As part of your Sponsorship Agreement with your sponsored family member, you need to provide financial support for the basic needs (food, clothing, shelter, and health needs not covered by public health services) of the person you are sponsoring.

 

Depending on the type of sponsorship, you also need to match or exceed (30% + required threshold) the Low Income Cut-off (LICO), for example:

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  • you are sponsoring a spouse or partner who has a dependent child and that dependent child has one or more children of their own, or

  • you are sponsoring a dependent child who has one or more dependent children of their own, or

  • you are sponsoring a parent or grandparent.

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If you reside in Quebec, you will have to meet Quebec's sponsorship requirements and your income will be assessed by the Quebec immigration ministry.

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Previously sponsored persons cannot be excluded from calculation of the family size unless any of the following apply:

  • the sponsor chose to withdraw the application if found to be ineligible to sponsor (as they indicated on the IMM 1344 form)

  • the sponsor withdraws the application during processing (that is, prior to the applicant)

  • the processing of the application is suspended [R136] (see Suspension of processing) pending a decision whether or not to continue processing

    • if a decision is made to continue processing, the sponsor’s financial circumstances must be reassessed for any active applications including these sponsored persons in the calculation of family size

  • the office processing the application for permanent residence determines that the sponsor is ineligible based on one of the following:

    • agreement with the CPC’s negative sponsorship eligibility decision

    • information received that was not available to the CPC when they assessed sponsorship eligibility

    • a determination that the sponsored person is inadmissible

Family Size
MNI 2020
MNI 2019
MNI 2018
2 people
C$32,270
C$41,007
C$40,379
3 people
C$39,672
C$50,414
C$49,641
4 people
C$48,167
C$61,209
C$60,271
5 people
C$54,630
C$69,423
C$68,358
6 people
C$61,613
C$78,296
C$77,095
7 people
C$68,598
C$87,172
C$85,835
Each additional person
C$6,985
C$8,876
C$8,740

Sponsor your Wife, Husband, or Common-law Partner

 

A Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada may sponsor:

  • their spouse (you are legally married)

  • common-law partner (you are not legally married but have been living together for at least 12 months in a conjugal relationship).

  • conjugal partner (you are not legally married or in a common-law relationship and they are living outside Canada)

 

To be eligible for spousal or common-law partner sponsorship, you must:

  • be 18 year of age, a Canadian permanent resident living in Canada or Canadian citizen,

  • demonstrate that you can provide for the basic needs for yourself and your spouse or partner,

  • Prove your relationship with the sponsored person is genuine by providing supporting documentation.

 

To be eligible for spousal or common-law partner sponsorship, the sponsored person must:

  • be at least 18 years of age and not too closely related to you.

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Check our complete guide to Spousal Sponsorship for permanent residence in Canada.

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What is the Super Visa Program for immigrating to Canada? 

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The Super Visa for Canada is yet another program that showcases Canada's commitment for family reunification. The Super Visa for Canada. It is a multiple entry visa which allows parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to visit Canada for extended periods.

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Super visas are typically granted for up to two years, with the ability to apply for extensions of one year at a time.

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To be eligible for the Super Visa program, parents and grandparents must meet standard visitor visa requirements. In addition, they must:

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  • Provide proof of financial capability along with a written undertaking of support from their child or grandchild in Canada;

  • Provide proof that the sponsor in Canada meets minimum income requirements (check LICO table);

  • Provide proof of a valid Canadian health insurance (before landing in Canada) for the duration of at least one year; and

  • Complete an immigration medical examination.

 

Based on the nationality of the Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident, parents/grandparents may need to acquire a Temporary Resident Visa in addition to a Super Visa.

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Sponsor your Dependent Children

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You can sponsor your dependent children, whether natural or adopted, to live with you as permanent residents in Canada.

 

Children must meet the following definition of a dependent child to be eligible for sponsorship:

  • A child is considered a dependent if he or she is not married or in a common-law relationship and is under 22 years of age.

  • If a child is over 22 years of age, they may be considered a dependent if they have a physical or mental condition that prevents them from being able to support themselves.

 

To be eligible under this program, you:

  • and your child abroad must be approved by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to receive a visa,

  • must prove your relationship with the child you are sponsoring, either by a birth or adoption certificate.

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On what grounds can my Family Sponsorship application to Canada be refused?

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Similar to any other application for immigration to Canada, Permanent residence through family sponsorship could easily be denied or rejected based on (but not limited to): 

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  • Ineligibility to Sponsor.  

  • Ineligibility to be Sponsored.  

  • Application filed while the permanent resident was residing outside Canada.  

  • Undeclared Family members.  

  • Misrepresentation in the Application Form.

  • Inadmissibility to Canada.

  • Medical or health ineligibility.

  • Etc...

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Need help in applying for Sponsorship? Hire an authorized paid representative.

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IMMERGITY Immigration Consultant are very experienced with the application process and can help you navigate the system. We will also provide valuable insights and tips on how to increase your chances of success. Get in touch now.

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If you're thinking of hiring a representative, be sure to check that they're authorized by IRCC. You can verify our credentials by clicking here.

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Hiring a representative is not required, but it can be helpful, especially if you're not familiar with the application process. If you decide to hire a representative, be sure to choose someone who you trust and who you feel comfortable working with.

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