Sponsorship of parents and grandparents

The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) is part of the Canadian government’s efforts for family reunification, aiming to bring families together. Under this program, eligible sponsors can submit an expression of interest to sponsor their parents or grandparents during specific admission periods. Applications are then selected through a lottery, and successful candidates are invited to submit a complete sponsorship application.

Sponsors must meet certain eligibility criteria and commit to financially supporting their parents or grandparents for a specified period after their arrival as permanent residents.

As for the sponsored parents or grandparents, they must meet eligibility conditions, such as passing medical exams and security checks. If the sponsorship application is accepted, the sponsored person can become a permanent resident of Canada and, eventually, apply for Canadian citizenship.

To be eligible as a sponsor, a Canadian citizen or permanent resident must meet several criteria:

Age and Residence:

• The sponsor must be at least 18 years old.
• If the sponsor is a permanent resident, they must reside in Canada.

Financial Eligibility:

• The sponsor must demonstrate that they meet the minimum income requirements to prove their ability to financially support their parents or grandparents.
• The income requirements are established by the Canadian government and are revised annually.

Support Agreement:

• Sponsors must sign a sponsorship agreement with the Canadian government, committing to provide financial support to their parents or grandparents for a specified period.
• This agreement also includes a commitment to reimburse any social assistance benefits received by the sponsored family members during the sponsorship period.

Individuals wishing to sponsor their parents or grandparents under the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) must sign a commitment with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). For sponsors living outside the province of Quebec, this commitment involves providing financial support to the sponsored family members for 20 years from the time they obtain permanent residency in Canada. Additionally, you will need to repay any provincial social assistance received by the sponsored family members during this 20-year period.

This commitment also includes the responsibility to meet the essential needs of the sponsored family members, such as food, clothing, and utilities.

For sponsors residing in the province of Quebec, the commitment is valid for 10 years from the date the sponsored family members become permanent residents of Canada.

All sponsors must demonstrate that they have sufficient income to support their parents and grandparents in Canada. When a sponsor is invited to submit an application, they must prove that they had adequate income over the past three fiscal years. If your spouse or common-law partner is a co-signer on the application, their income from the past three fiscal years can also be considered to meet the minimum income threshold. For applications submitted in 2021, IRCC will evaluate income from the 2020, 2019, and 2018 fiscal years.

The total required income depends on the size of your family, the number of people you are sponsoring under the PGP, and your place of residence in Quebec. You can check the minimum income thresholds here.

For applications for admission in 2021, your income from the 2020, 2019, and 2018 fiscal years will be reviewed to ensure you meet the minimum income threshold. IRCC has not specified whether it will require updated proof of income before the application is finalized.

Yes, your spouse or common-law partner can co-sign your PGP application. In this case, you can use their income to meet the minimum income threshold. It is also necessary for your spouse or common-law partner to sign a financial support agreement for your parents or grandparents.

To sponsor your parents or grandparents under the PGP, the sponsor must reside in Canada. This means that your primary address must be located in Canada at the time of submitting the application.